Item L08BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY
Meeting Date: January 28, 2009 Division: BOCC
Bulk Item: Yes X No _ Department: DIST 3
Staff Contact Person/Phone #: C.Schreck x 3430
AGENDA ITEM WORDING:
Resolution of the Board of County Commissioners of Monroe County, FL to recognize the need for the
United States Postal Service to maintain current levels of service in Key West and the Keys.
ITEM BACKGROUND:
In April 2009, 6 postal workers, currently working in one of three Key West post offices (Whitehead
St, Winn Dixie Plaza, Naval Air Station) will be reassigned outside of Monroe County resulting in a
lower level of service to the residents and visitors of Key West and the Keys. The work hour impact
report on which the cuts in personnel are based, was evaluated on data compiled in the off / hurricane
season. The mandated service goals are not being met with the current number of workers. It will
erode even further with this potential reduction. Three years ago the clerk complement was reduced
from 45 to the current level of 31.
PREVIOUS RELEVANT BOCC ACTION:
Resolution 214-2003 called for the need for the United States Postal Service to establish a stable
service and a stable staffing level in Key West and the Keys.
CONTRACT/AGREEMENT CHANGES:
STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS:
TOTAL COST: 0 INDIRECT COST:
COST TO COUNTY:
0
BUDGETED: Yes No
SOURCE OF FUNDS:
REVENUE PRODUCING: Yes No AMOUNT PER MONTH
APPROVED BY: County Atty OMB/Purchasing Risk Management
DOCUMENTATION:
DISPOSITION:
Revised 1/09
Included X Not Required
AGENDA ITEM #
Year
t1NITF.DST M
October 29, 2008
Bill Sullivan
Regional Coordinator, APWU, AFL --CIO
15065 Woodham Drive
Houston, TX 7P073-6624
Judy Willoughby
National Business Agent
6201 Ravanswood Road
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33312-M007
SUBJECT: - Withholding — South Florida District
Key West, Florida Post Office
Due to a Function 4 Review, it is anticipated that 6 (six) FfR Level Clerks will .be
reassigned outside of the: craft and/or installation at the Key. West, Florida Post Office.
To minimize dislocation and, inconvenience of regular work force employees consistent
with the. needs of the service, it is requested .that 6 (six) FTR Clerk Level 6 and below,
Custodian, and Carrier (Q-1) positions be withheld within a 100 mile radius of the Key
West Post Office.
Attached is a copy of the Impact/Workhour Report relative to this action. The reductions
cannot be accomplished through attrition.
It is anticipated that the. Implementation of the above cited change would be effective
April 20, 2009.
Sincerely,
eanard L. rewn
_])
Attachments
cc: Manager, Human Resources, SFL District
Manager, Labor Relations, SFL. District
Manager, Labor Relations, Southeast Area
Complement Coordinator, Southeast Area Office
25 N HainNsEfs BauEvm
Ma'v,ms TN 28166,GM
901- 47-7200
F a:_901-747.7206
AMERICAN POSTAL AL WORKERS UNION, AFL-CIO
Florida Keys Area Local, Representing Monroe County Florida
P.O. BOX 388, Key West, FL 33041
e . - (305) 294-9696
December 18, 2008
The Honorable Ileana Ras-Lehtinen
House of Representatives
2160 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
RE: Service and Staffing cuts in Key West Florida
Dear Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen,
The Key West Post Office has received a letter dated October 29, 2008 from area management
informing us that by April 20, 2009, the clerk complement is being reduced from its current level
of 31 to 25 and the impacted clerks will be excessed. As you probably recall a few years ago the
clerk complement was reduced from 45 to its current level of 31. After considerable community
protest and effort, that reduction was finally accomplished through attrition. Your assistance at the
time was much appreciated and critical in reducing the impact on affected clerks. Unfortunately,
as predicted that cut in personnel did erode mail service standards in Key West. Already our
delivery goals and customer wait time in line are not being met. It is certain that this proposed
reduction in force will further erode mail service to the Key West community.
The work hour impact report on which the cuts in personnel are supposedly based, was again
evaluated by data compiled in the off season, hurricane season and just about the slowest time of
year. if we are not meeting mandated service goals now with the current workforce, the staffing
cuts will only further deteriorate service to the community, especially as the tourist and winter
season kicks in after Christmas.
These staffing cuts are not the result of a service decision, but the result of financial decision on
the part of the area managers that was decided months before this so called work observation study
and will certainly have an adverse impact on mail service in Key West. Please help us continue to
serve this community and keep the number of clerk employees as it is.
Thank you in advance for any assistance you can provide in this urgent matter.
Sincerely,
President — Florida Keys Area Local, American Postal Workers Union /AFL-CIO
cc: media
RESOLUTION NO. 2009
RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
OF MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA, TO RECOGNIZE THE NEED
FOR THE UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE TO MAINTAIN
CURRENT LEVELS OF SERVICE IN KEY WEST AND THE
KEYS.
WHEREAS, the Florida Keys is one hundred and twenty miles of linear county;
and
WHEREAS, Key West, as is most of the Keys, quite remote from other urban
areas and is subject to large service fluctuations in its tourist oriented environment; and
WHEREAS, cyclical needs have affected the level of postal service that cannot
be compensated for by automation or proximity to the mainland; and
WHEREAS, the reduction of b cleric positions will negatively affect service to
the residents and visitors to the County; now, therefore
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
OF MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA THAT:
Section 1. A more subjective and comprehensive understanding of the needs of the
local Postal Service and the people it serves be undertaken, including that any
consideration of workload include the impacts during the high tourism and snowbird
months, and that future adjustments in local staffing levels be made by normal and local
attrition.
Section 2. The Clerk is directed to send a copy of this Resolution to the Postmistress for
the City of Key West.
PASSED AND ADOPTED by the Board of County Commissioners of Monroe
County, Florida, at a regular meeting of the Board held on the 28th day of January, 2009.
Mayor George Neugent
Mayor Pro Tern Sylvia Murphy
Commisloner Heather Carruthers _
Commissioner Mario Di Gennaro _
Commissioner Kim Wigington _
Attest: DANNY L. KOLHAGE, CLERK BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
OF MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA
El
Deputy Clerk
By:
Mayor
MONNOE COUNTY ATT NEY
AP VEU AS T M:
NE A. HUTTON