The Presidential Commission studying the U.S. Postal Service agreed in its first meeting yesterday to create committees to explore postal business models, private sector partnerships, technology challenges and the postal workforce.
The three-person committees will be named in the next few weeks, according to attendees.
The commissioners also heard from Postmaster General Jack Potter, who told them that the USPS is not interested in creating business ventures outside its core business of delivering letters and flats.
“When someone asked Potter if the USPS has any plans to expand into electronic communications, Potter said it was better left to the private sector,” said Gene Del Polito, president of the Association for Postal Commerce.
Del Polito and other industry observers praised the commission members.
“It looks like the commissioners had all done a lot of reading and were familiar with the issues, said Bob McLean, executive director of the Mailers Council. “They asked intelligent questions and seemed genuinely concerned.”
“They were a no-nonsense crowd,” Del Polito added.
Neal Denton, executive director of the Alliance of Nonprofit Mailers, said, “This appears to be a body that will quickly immerse itself in the finer details of postal policy in time to submit recommendations before the July 31 deadline.”
Industry observers were also impressed by the fact the Commission is open to feedback. “They let us know we can submit public comments until Feb. 12,” said McLean.
The commission members also heard a presentation on postal service finances from CFO Richard Strasser.
Last month, President Bush’s created the nine-member commission to explore the U.S. Postal Service’s mission and operations. Mailer groups said this could result in the first major overhaul of the postal service since its creation during the Nixon administration in the early 1970s (Direct Newsline, Dec. 12, 2002).
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