Fight Over: USPS Will Keep Mail Sorting in Missoula

The U.S. Postal Service is confirming that mail processing operations will stay in Missoula. The agency says it will carry forward with a plan to invest $12 million in upgrades, which will make the location a full Local Processing Center with no loss of jobs.

The news comes Friday, a year after USPS sparked outrage among local postal workers and small businesses by floating a plan to move all mail processing to Spokane.

The development also comes just days after embattled U.S. Postmaster Louis DeJoy announced he'd be stepping down.

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USPS had proposed moving Western Montana mail sorting

Last year, the agency announced it planned to move mail sorting operations, long a key part of the Missoula Post Office, to a processing center in Spokane. USPS leaders said it was part of an overall plan to make mail processing and delivery more efficient, but combine those operations into regional processing centers.

That brought a sharp response from former U.S. Senator Jon Tester, Senator Steve Daines, the local postal union, and business owners, who argued it take longer for mail bound for in state addresses to be delivered. Tester also worried the shift would make it more difficult for seniors to review medications through the mail.

The plan went through a public input process, but even with heated opposition from the proposal, it appeared poised to make the change, although it was shelved by last summer.

RELATED: Missoula Struggled with Post Office Operations in '23

What's the future at the Missoula Post Office

However, today, USPS confirmed mail processing will remain in Missoula. The post office will still receive the major upgrades that had been discussed last year. But it will also be converted into a Local Processing Center.

The changes mean there will be "no impact" on business mail entry, Post Office, station, and branch retail services. Once Missoula is an LPC, it will handle package mailing, shipping letters, and flats. It will also be able to offer express services and handle bulk and permit mail. Anything mailed locally in Missoula won't leave town.

In a statement, DeJoy said the plan will generate savings that will help USPS cover the costs of the upgrade.

"This investment goes beyond just enhancing the work environment for our employees. It's about equipping the facility with the necessary technology and resources to deliver top-notch service to the local community for the foreseeable future." -Postmaster General Louis DeJoy

There's no mention of the timeline for making the improvements.