BELLMAWR, N.J. (KYW Newsradio) — A South Jersey congressman has some questions about the future of a key U.S. Postal Service facility in Bellmawr, though postal officials say they are reorganizing the facility, not closing it.
USPS officials say the reorganization of its South Jersey Processing and Distribution Center in Bellmawr is part of its $40 billion Delivering for America plan. While the stated goal of that plan is to improve postal processing, transportation and delivery networks, Rep. Donald Norcross and the South Jersey postal workers union say they are concerned about any substantial operating changes proposed by the USPS.
“We have many questions because the idea of slowing down the mail is something that nobody wants,” he said. “Transparency is so important here. The Postal Service has to come clean.”
Part of the plan calls for transferring some processing services to Philadelphia. The USPS says mail will travel on a wider distribution network, which will ultimately improve efficiency. Norcross, however, says the center is a key hub for mail in South Jersey and wants to know how it helps to send mail back and forth over the bridge.
“Is there a cost benefit, either to the customers or the Postal Service?” he asked. “And how do we know that this is not going to slow down the delivery of mail and not make it longer?”
The plan for the Bellmawr facility, according to USPS officials, is to invest $20 million to $25 million on new sorting machines, infrastructure and other upgrades. They say no full-time jobs will be lost under this plan and that local mail delivery will not be negatively impacted.
The union, however, says the move has already caused delivery delays and loss of mail. Members expressed concerns about the plan prior to a public meeting with USPS officials on Wednesday. KYW Newsradio contacted the union for comment on the result of the meeting but has not heard back.