David's Blog

When I look at our Chamber members, I see leaders. I see innovation and the will to succeed. I see people who are not waiting for the next generation to make things better. I see the ones we have been waiting for.

With your involvement, we are creating a stronger business community and a more compelling future. I invite you to engage in our beloved community in ways that lift your spirit and honor your convictions. Support initiatives and elected officials that represent your views and values. Be a part of this momentum in an even bigger way.

I hope you will also strengthen our community by supporting each other - local business owners and operators. You employ our family members and our neighbors. You fund our city services, our public schools and our county's programs and initiatives. You purchase supplies from within our community. Our local businesses lift up our community one job, one person and one family at a time. I applaud you.

It is an ideal time to see who is here with us and celebrate. The time of the lone wolf is over. We would do well to gather ourselves to plan and to work together. We would be wise to banish the word "struggle" from our attitude and from our vocabulary. All that we do now must be done in a spirited manner and in celebration.

We choose to live and work in our Shining City upon the Hill. We could have chosen many other places, yet, we are drawn to this fascinating and remarkable place. It is our responsibility and our honor to give back to our community and to one another.

We do so while knowing our lives are full. Our calendars are crowded. Yet, we would be wise to come together precisely because our lives are full. We need the refreshment and the revitalization that comes from setting aside other obligations and activities - to be with business community members who share our excitement and our optimism for our shared future.

Consider this a call to lead and a call to collaborate with the Chamber or any other organization that is striving to move our community forward. Be assured, we will work with you in a spirit of mutual respect. We anticipate a quality conversation between purposeful people. We recognize that no one of us is as smart as all of us. We anticipate benefiting from conversations of consequence - courageous conversations.


In summary, now is the time to gather, to converse and to celebrate. Now is the time to make your voice heard. Now is the time to join together to fulfill our community's shared potential. After all, we are the ones we have been waiting for.

In support,
David

The United States Postal Service recently notified our beloved community that they concluded a study to evaluate moving their mail processing operations from the Duluth Processing and Distribution Facility to St. Paul, MN. Their notification heralded the strong probability that they will transfer the operations.

Upon learning of this likelihood, I assisted in arranging for, and participated in, a meeting with the Postal Service's top local official, Postmaster General Arby Humphrey. I did so to better understand the situation and to advocate for the continuation of our current level of postal service on behalf of our Chamber members.

This is what I learned from the postmaster general:

- The proposed annual savings of transferring the operations is $3.8 million.
- The transfer would generate a reduction of 58 postal service positions in Duluth.
- Retail and other services currently available will remain at the Duluth facility.
- Local collection box pick-up times may change.
- The delivery time-of-day of mail to residences and businesses will not change.
- The service standard for local mail delivery will increase from one day to two or three days.
Commercial mailers, who presort mail, will continue to receive applicable postage discounts.


Clearly, the most detrimental impact on our area would be the job cuts. Families will be affected by the employment loss in a time where economic growth and trust in our community is critical. In addition, we will see an increase in service time from one day delivery to a two or three day delivery for mail that is both sent from and delivered to our area. If the loss in jobs and the increase in delivery time is a concern to you, make your voice heard at the one opportunity you will be afforded.

A public hearing is being held to: share the results of the study, allow us to ask Postmaster Humphrey questions, and to provide us an opportunity to share our feedback with Postmaster Humphrey.

The meeting will be held:
Thursday, November 10
6:30 p.m.
Great Lakes Ballroom of the Holiday Center,
200 West First Street

I feel it is important that you be made aware of this unfolding development. Now you know.

Roger Wedin, our Director of Policy & Education, and I plan to attend the meeting. Please contact Roger or me if you have feedback or suggestions for us prior to the meeting. We welcome your sage counsel. I can be reached at 740-3751 or dross@duluthchamber.com. Roger can be reached at 740-3752 or rwedin@duluthchamber.com.


In support and forewarning,
David

David Ross, President & CEO