WASHINGTON – The following statement regarding news that the United States Postal Service is hiring twenty career employees at the Gaylord postal facility may be attributed to Congressman Bart Stupak (D-Menominee):

“The hiring of twenty career employees at the Gaylord postal facility is great news not only for the Gaylord area, but for all northern Michigan residents who depend on the Gaylord mail processing facility for timely mail delivery. 

“In meetings and through repeated correspondence to the United States Postal Service, I expressed my concerns that the Gaylord facility was being allowed to fall way below its authorized level and that temporary employees were being used for extended periods instead of career employees.   I am pleased the United States Postal Service will hire twenty career employees and I will continue to monitor the Gaylord facility to make sure the promised personnel are hired and the necessary equipment is installed so northern Michigan postal customers receive the highest possible quality of service. 

“I am hopeful that today’s announcement will be followed by the discontinuation of the Area Mail Processing (AMP) study, which has threatened the viability of the mail processing facility at Gaylord.  The Gaylord postal employees do excellent work and the Gaylord facility is a key component of our northern Michigan mail delivery system.”