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Lawrence officials suggest moving mail-processing center to New Castle
NEW CASTLE, Pa.
Lawrence County Commissioner Dan Vogler believes the United States Postal Service should consolidate mail-processing functions here instead of moving them to Pittsburgh.
He said this week when commissioners met that he made the suggestion when he attended a recent public meeting the postal service had here. About 100 local employees would be forced to commute to the Pittsburgh area if the move becomes a reality, and Vogler said that makes no sense.
He pointed out New Castle is located at the intersection of several highways, is convenient to Pittsburgh, Erie and Youngstown, and does not have the traffic congestion problems of Pittsburgh.
He said he and Commissioners Steve Craig and Richard DeBlasio are concerned about the impact the loss of the facility would have on the community. The postal service is looking to close facilities nationwide to cut costs. Changes could be made by May 1.
There will be a meeting at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Boardman Performing Arts Center, 7777 Glenwood Ave., where the postal service will discuss its proposal to move some mail-processing operations from the Youngstown processing and distribution plant to Pittsburgh.
In other matters, commissioners agreed to lease a building from Measel-Bruce Inc. for $2,312 monthly for one year to house some public safety vehicles while they look for a better facility.
The county had been paying $300 monthly for a nearby smaller building also owned by Measel-Bruce Inc. but said the building is bigger and better constructed. The facility is on Green Ridge Road, Neshannock Township.
Commissioners also accepted a renewal of the federal Juvenile Accountability Grant, which supports the cost of juveniles on probation landscaping an area and growing produce to sell. The $11,112 grant includes $10,000 from the federal government and a 10 percent county share. The program has been going on for four years.
Commissioners will meet at 10 a.m. Friday to finalize the 2012 budget.