03/01/2010 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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DISTRICT MANAGER CUSTOMER SERVICE AND SALES NORTHLAND DISTRICT UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE February 23, 2010 Mary Alice Divine Economic Development Coordinator City of Lino Lakes 600 Town Center Pkwy Lino Lakes, MN 55014 Thank you for contacting the Postal Service regarding the request for a postal facility and a unique ZIP Code for the Lino Lakes community. I recognize that Lino Lakes would like to obtain community identity through the establishment of their own Post Office and unique ZIP Code. Local postal managers consider a great number of factors when determining the need for a new Post Office in an area under their jurisdiction. In general, however, a new facility is considered only when the area's current postal facilities are not adequate to provide proper service or when growth will soon make them inadequate. There are currently no plans to build a new Post Office in Lino Lakes. As a self - supporting agency, the Postal Service funds operations from revenue generated by the sale of our products and services — not taxpayer subsidies received through the Congressional appropriations process. Like many business, we are currently experiencing financial challenges, in our case due to the struggling world economy and the diversion of mail volume to electronic communications. In the wake of this downturn in mail volume we have taken a number of cost - cutting measures that includes the suspension of new Post Office construction except in extraordinary circumstances – like the loss of a facility to a natural disaster. Through technological advancements, increases in productivity, and declining mail volumes we foresee the Circle Pines Post Office will have the capacity to handle future growth. I would like to thank you for contacting me regarding a new facility in Lino Lakes, I regret that I cannot provide you with a more favorable response, but I must deny your request for a new Post Office. The situation in which a mail delivery address differs from the geographic or political name of a community is a common one throughout the country. As new housing developments emerge, political jurisdictions expand, or areas incorporate into separate communities, delivery is extended from a nearby established post office which is capable of accommodating the new territory. As a consequence, many communities throughout the nation have mail delivered from a Post Office with a different name than their community. It is too costly to establish a new Post Office or create new ZIP Codes for community identity purposes. ZIP Codes and mailing addresses are intended to help us provide prompt and accurate mail service. Your inquiry as to how to petition for one ZIP Code for a city was started by contacting me. I regret that my response cannot be more favorable, but I must deny your request. Post Offices and the delivery boundaries associated with them are established to ensure good service and the most economical use of postal resources. Changes are considered only if the operational requirements of the Postal Service and the interests of the community would be served. At a minimum, approval of requests like this requires the purchase or lease of a building, the relocation of carriers, changes in mail sorting schemes and transportation schedules, reprogramming our automated mail sorting equipment, revisions to directories, mail forwarding for customers whose addresses change, and significant administrative costs. 100 S 1ST ST RM 409 MINNEAPOLIS MN 55401 -9990 612 -349 -3500 FAx: 612 - 349 -6377