We welcome letters. Please include your full name, address and telephone number. We edit all letters. Send them to [email protected].
—-
DISINGENUIOUS POSTAL PLAN
The goal of the U.S. Postal Service's 10-year Delivering for America Plan, launched in March 2021 by Postmaster Louis DeJoy, is to "redesign" the USPS processing, transportation and delivery networks; however, it may not be performing as DeJoy advertised.
The March 26 Springfield informational meeting notified us that we were being "considered for future use." It was not well-received. The skepticism and distrust for "modernizing" Springfield in the name of "efficiency and service" was palpable.
A 15-minute presentation of intentional double-speak was given by USPS executive Frank Veal. Straight faced, Veal stated that our local mail (which we found out later also includes Cape Girardeau and other points south) would be transported to a Processing and Distribution Center in St. Louis and then returned to Springfield the next day, a two-day turnaround. It would be a laughable concept, except no one was laughing.
Rather, the plan was seen as a self-enriching mega-plan for DeJoy, appointed with no USPS experience in June 2020. He immediately began dismantling the USPS and setting up PDCs across the country via transport vehicles he just happened to have handy by way of his previous brainchild, New Breed Logistics.
Thirty-one Sorting and Distribution Centers have already opened nationwide and 36 more are planned to open in coming months. That does not bode well for Springfield. At his address to the Postal Service Board of Governors in November, DeJoy stated that 430 facilities were to be reduced to 210.
Forty citizens including proud, exhausted postal workers; current and former elected officials; and average citizens took the microphone, asked questions, expressed their concerns and vocalized a clear, united opposition. No answers were forthcoming nor were addresses clarified to send opposition letters to by April 10.
City and state governments, medical facilities, local businesses and bill-paying citizens hoping to avoid late fees all need efficient mail service. And sending Illinois ballots to Missouri does little for our election integrity.
Paula Wheeler
Springfield
—-
PLAN FOR CLEAN ENERGY
At the March 20 community forum, Shaping Springfield's Energy Future, participants were presented with pathways to incorporate sustainable energy into our city. In attendance were representatives of local environmental groups, three city council members and even CWLP representatives.
After seeing the presentations, it's clear that the city of Springfield and CWLP are not taking advantage of the fact that by having our own municipal energy provider we can put our city on course for a clean energy transition. It is well-known our coal plant is slowing down and is only running at 60% capacity. It's no longer cost-effective, it's inefficient and it pours greenhouse gas emissions out on a daily basis, polluting our air, water and land.
And as we have seen elsewhere, coal is only on its way out. Texas-based power provider Vistra is retiring its entire fleet of coal plants in Illinois, including Kincaid Generating Station at Sangchris Lake. The Kincaid plant will fully retire in 2027, and the same thing is happening with coal plants across the country.
I was disappointed to hear from CWLP that a plan for cost-effective energy analysis comparing the various options on energy choices is not being proposed. Most utility companies execute this analysis at least every five years so for Springfield this is long overdue. This analysis would help Springfield to lay the groundwork for future clean energy projects, especially solar and wind.
In addition, the city of Springfield has yet to establish a sustainability plan or commission, which would be employed by the city, independent of CWLP, and provide expert analysis of energy plans. Many other cities have them, such as Naperville and Springfield, Missouri. In the coming year, local environmental groups, along with input from local citizens, will present a plan for sustainability to the City Council.
It is my hope that the City Council, mayor, CWLP and all relevant city officials will take heed of this proposal and begin planning for a clean energy transition for our city's energy future and begin a new cost-effective energy analysis for CWLP. Clean energy is safe, cost-effective, provides jobs and saves residents money on their energy bills. But more importantly, we'll no longer have a coal plant continuously pouring out greenhouse gases in our own backyard.
Zach Bright
Springfield
