Residents Complain of Mail Issues After Loss of Pasco Processing Center

In July 2013, the United States Postal Service shut down mail processing in Pasco, and moved the task to Spokane. It was part of a national reorganizational effort to save money. Since then, besides obvious delays with certain types of mail,  some Tri-City residents have seen what they believe is a drop in service.

On Facebook, at the site 'Your Know You're from Tri-Cities When...',  long-time Tri-City media veteran Mike Barriochoa started a thread asking if others had seen an increase in lost mail since the processing center was moved. He found it quite troubling.

What followed was an explosion of responses.  We counted at least 25 others who commented similarly. They experienced everything from lost postcards, to missing bill payments-statements and other pieces of mail.

Some of the responses included: (Names and some details omitted for privacy)

*I have missed mail too. Some of it important. Tried to mail a letter from my mail box the mail person didn't take it. Was told they don't have to.

 

*I mailed my bills on 6/27/15 in --------, as of 7/28/15 non was delivered and I have had to go to each business and repay bill plus overdue charge, all except City of -------- who looked my record and said you have never been late and removed the late charge!

 

*Me too, and checks!!!!

Berriochoa indicated in the post thread that he had raised this issue with the Tri-City Herald letters to the editor, but was told they hadn't received any similar complaints. But from the looks of this Facebook thread, it appears many are experiencing service difficulty.

Most of the posters and comments indicated they were pretty happy with their neighborhood carriers, it's the processing system that has them frustrated.

It was reported in the fall of 2013 that instead of one to maybe two days tops, inter-Tri-City mail delivery had gone to about 3 days, due to the extra task of moving all the Tri-City mail to Spokane before processing.  The mail is now sent up North and dispersed from there. So, at least an extra 140 miles is added to whatever you send.

Have your experienced any such issues?