HAMPDEN, Maine — After pushback from Maine’s leaders in Washington and Augusta, the U.S. Postal Service announced Monday that a mail processing facility in Hampden will not be downsized.
It’s a reversal of the USPS's decision to move the facility’s processing services to Scarborough—130 miles south.
Maine leaders who raised concerns that the consolidation would cause delays in mail delivery were happy with the decision. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, was among them, call it "welcome news for the people of Maine."
USPS said it's planning to keep mail processing operations in the Eastern Maine Processing and Distribution Center because of new nationwide improvements USPS is enacting, which it said will save $3 billion per year.
"To provide consistent, reliable delivery services to our northern Maine customers," USPS Communications Specialist Steve Doherty said of the decision.
Doherty said USPS is also investing $12.1 million into the Eastern Maine facility, going toward maintenance and upgraded package sorting equipment.
Now that Hampden’s operations won’t be relocated, no employees will be either.
"If anything, once the new package capability is added and done, they could be looking at an increase in the number of employees needed," Doherty said.
Hampden town officials, who pushed back against the consolidation plan, said they’re thrilled with the decision to keep the operations and the people who work at the facility in their community.
"It's very important because we're a rural state," Hampden Town Manager Paula Scott said. "We need to keep that level of service up so that businesses can continue to operate, commerce can continue to happen, people can continue to get their medications."
Local American Postal Workers Union leaders said they’re glad Hampden will be retaining its processing operations, but also said they’re left with more questions and concerns about the way the USPS is operating.
Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows said she is particularly concerned about mail-in ballots being delivered in time to be counted this election.
"Delivery times, training, and service to rural communities has dramatically decreased in recent years, and some of the strategies that they describe seem to potentially perpetuate rural mail delays," Bellows said.
Bellows said absentee ballots will be sent out Oct. 7. She recommended filling it out and mailing it as soon as you can to ensure it’s in on time.
The U.S. Postal Service's plan is subject to approval by the Postal Regulatory Commission.
Doherty said he's expecting it to be approved and for upgrades to start being made at the Eastern Maine facility at the beginning of next year.