ST8807-CS 870409~ * * * * * ~' Washinglon, DC 20260-3100
DIGEST HIGHLIGHTS
Thursday, April 9, 1987
UNITED PRESS INTERNATIONAL
Decision On Whether To File For
New Postal Rates Is Postponed
NASHVILLE TENNESSEAN
Overnight Delivery Impact Great
On Business Communications
ASBURY PARK (NJ) PRESS
PMG: Despite Economic Turmoil
USPS Remains "Growth Industry"
OAK LEAVES
(OAK PARK, IL)
PO Offers Prize For Wildest Tale
About Last-Minute Tax Filing
DALLAS TIMES HERALD, April 8, 1987
Postal Board OKs Mail Plant for Coppell
By Catherine Chriss
and Jerry Needham
The U.S. Postal Service Board of Governors on Tuesday
approved up to $72.1 million for a bulk mail sorting plant in
Coppell that will employ 1,200 people and is seen by local
officials as a great boon to northwest Dallas County.
However, the Board delayed for further study its
recommendation to increase the first-class postage rate, although
the government acknowledged that an increase will be necessary in
late 1988.
The 74-acre sorting plant project, expected to open in spring
1990, could lure a series of telecommunication and mail-oriented
Dusinesses to the area, Coppell officials said Tuesday.
Postal officials project that those new businesses will
represent $200 million in taxable property over the next 10 years
in northwest Dallas County.
Federal officials said they chose the Coppell site over
others in Carrollton, Farmers Branch and Irving because of its
quick access to Interstate 635, Dallas-Fort Worth International
Airport and other major roads.
Area business leaders hailed the mail sorting plant as a
substantial boost to a sagging economy.
"I think it's just the beginning of things to come," said
Lee Tench, president of the Metrocrest Chamber of Commerce. "We
have referred to Coppell as the looping giant for years. Well,
it is changing. It's like a snowball going down the side of a
hill. It's going to be continuing momentum."
The processing center at Bethel Road and Royal Lane will not
generate property taxes for the city of 10,500 Decause it is
owned by the federal government. But it will open up the west
portion of Coppell.
Plans call for extending Royal Lane from Bethel Road north to
1-636, which city officials said will open a "western gateway to
the city" and lure more light industry to the area. D-FW Airpor.t
donated $3 million in right-of-way property for the extension,
Coppell Mayor Lou Duggan said.
Local business owners in the rural suburb were elated
Tuesday, hoping to prosper from the 1,200 employees and their
paychecks.
The mail sorting plant will be the town's largest employer,
surpassing the Minyard's corporate headquarters, which employs
350 people.
The Coppell mail center, the third largest Postal Service
facility in the Dallas area, will distribute half of all mail
originating in Dallas, including all second-class and
suburban-destination mail. It is needed to hanGle the expected
48 percent increase in mail volume in the area by the year 2000.
- 2 -
The Postal Service's Dallas General Mail Facility currently
leases an annex to handle the daily volume of approximately 7.5
million pieces of mail, authorities said.
In delaying the decision to increase the current 22-cent
first-class postal rate, the governors said they wanted to study
a projected $1.8 billion deficit next fiscal year before deciding
on the amount.
Board Chairman John Griesemer cited rising costs associated
with increased health benefits, a new federal retirement system
and pending contract negotiations with 630,000 postal workers.
Deputy Postmaster General Michael Coughlin said a 1-cent hike
in the first-class rate with corresponding increases in other
categories of postage would raise revenues about $1 billion, but
"I wouldn't jump to any conclusions about what the increase might
be."
First-class postage rates were last raised from 20 cents to
22 cents in February 1985.
THE DAILY OKLAHO~ - April 7, 1987 - Page 16
Massacre Claims Denied
EDMOND -- The Ed- da Rockne and Janet negligent" in training
mond City Council, Esser, whose spouses employees to handle
agreeing Edmond police
had acted "courageous-
ly and prudently," de-
nied $33.5 million in
claims Monday from
one victim and survi-
vors of five victims of
the Edmond post office
massacre.
The claims were filed [or $2 million, The
against the city o[ Ed- claimants said the city
moud by Gary Chain- oi Edmond was"culpab-
bets, Judith Morel Lyn- ly, grossly and wantonly
were killed, and by Ste- emergency situations
yen Vick, who was and in protecting the
wounded by co-worker postal employees.
Patrick Henry Sherrill
on Aug. 20, 1986.
Chambers, Rockne
and Esser each asked
for $8.5 million; Morey,
for $6 million; and Vtck.
City attorney Max
Speegle said the police
acted "courageously
and prudently" on the
day Sherrill killed 14
co-workers and
wounded six others be-
fore shooting himself.
The council's vote for
denial was unanimous.