January 19, 2012
 
 
Mr. Patrick Donahoe
United States Postal Service
Postmaster General and Chief Executive Officer
475 L’Enfant Plaza SW
Washington DC 20260-0010
 
Dear Mr. Donahue:
 
Our organizations are writing to voice concern about the proposed closing of the Lansing Processing & Distribution center on Collins Road in Lansing, Michigan. We understand the financial pressures the U.S. Postal Service is experiencing and how those pressures necessarily must lead to evaluation of all its services, which understandably will include the closing and consolidations of many of its facilities around the country.  In no way do we want to interfere with the process that is taking place.
 
We do, however, have serious reservations about where the proposed closings are scheduled to occur in Michigan, and respectfully wish to present some very important facts we feel may not have been given thorough consideration during your recent feasibility study.
 
The proposal to close the Collins Road facility and consolidate operations with the Grand Rapids facility fails to take into account several important criteria that we feel are necessary to the efficient and cost effective operation for a processing and distribution center, including:
 
·         The Grand Rapids leased facilities are landlocked and inefficient, which precludes smart consolidation and/or expansion at these locations;
·         The geographic location of the Grand Rapids facilities on the far western side of the state is not convenient to many customers;
·         The owned Collins Road Processing and Distribution Center in Lansing is in an ideal location in the center of the state of Michigan, and near major freeways, U.S. 127 and I-96, which makes it convenient  for trucking access; and
·         The Collins Road facility is expandable, both in terms of the building itself and the potential for expansion on open, adjacent land.
 
The central location of the Greater Lansing region has played a major role in the growth of two significant transportation logistics operations, which the U.S. Postal Service would be well-served to consider as models for its own Michigan operations.  United Parcel Service (UPS) utilizes Capital Region International Airport as the hub for its Michigan service. UPS enjoys an advantage over competitors using other airports because of the efficiencies of being located in the center of the state.  Port Lansing, which is the only full-time customs operation in Michigan outside of southeast Michigan, is rapidly growing due to its ability to facilitate international cargo shipments much faster than larger operations in Detroit and Chicago.
 
We feel that given the knowledge and experience that our two organizations have in regards to economic development issues in the Greater Lansing region, that the Greater Michigan District office should incorporate input from the Lansing Economic Area Partnership and the Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce in order to develop a complete and accurate analysis.
 
We are concerned that a recommendation to close the Lansing facility has been made before a feasibility study has been approved by the Great Lakes Postal Estate Division. We find this as unacceptable and not only is this bad business but also bad government. Due to the magnitude of this issue and its impact on the state of Michigan and the Greater Lansing region, we respectfully request that a completed feasibility study, one that is public and with our regions full analysis be made available. We thank you for your consideration and look forward to hearing from you as this process moves forward.
 
 
Sincerely,
 
 
 
Robert L. Trezise Jr.
President & CEO
Lansing Economic Area Partnership
 
 
 
 
Tim Daman
President & CEO
Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce