SOUTH BEND -- A crowd of more than 200 people patiently waited at the Century Center for their chance to speak at a public hearing Thursday.
Early on, U.S. Postal Service officials gave background behind the proposal to close the mail processing center in downtown South Bend that many in the crowd believe will cost approximately 200 local jobs.
Then about 20 people consisting of mostly postal workers plus a few residents representing businesses and at least one nonprofit organization, plus South Bend Mayor-elect Pete Buttigieg, began to line up for their chance to speak.
But after several spoke, one woman, a veteran and a postal worker, asked the question everyone in the audience wanted to know about:
Were officials really going to do something with what the audience had to say Thursday or was this just a simple case of going through the motions?
Lynn Smith, Greater Indiana district manager for the Postal Service, assured everyone on hand their message does count.
Smith cited a similar situation a few years ago in Rockford, Ill., when a hearing was held, people voiced their opinions and the facility remained open despite what an earlier study had said.
“This is not a done deal,” he said.
Shortly thereafter, some strong points were made.
Early on, U.S. Postal Service officials gave background behind the proposal to close the mail processing center in downtown South Bend that many in the crowd believe will cost approximately 200 local jobs.
Then about 20 people consisting of mostly postal workers plus a few residents representing businesses and at least one nonprofit organization, plus South Bend Mayor-elect Pete Buttigieg, began to line up for their chance to speak.
But after several spoke, one woman, a veteran and a postal worker, asked the question everyone in the audience wanted to know about:
Were officials really going to do something with what the audience had to say Thursday or was this just a simple case of going through the motions?
Lynn Smith, Greater Indiana district manager for the Postal Service, assured everyone on hand their message does count.
Smith cited a similar situation a few years ago in Rockford, Ill., when a hearing was held, people voiced their opinions and the facility remained open despite what an earlier study had said.
“This is not a done deal,” he said.
Shortly thereafter, some strong points were made.
