By Councilmember Richard Fimbres
Previously, I wrote about the tenth anniversary of the opening of the Costco at the Tucson Marketplace at the Bridges and how it was an important step in the Renaissance of Ward 5 and the South Side.
Also in 2011, the battle to keep Cherrybell, Tucson and Southern Arizona’s Post Office and Processing Center open began.
The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) made the announcement that they were “consolidating their services” and closing Post Office Processing Centers. Tucson’s Cherrybell was on the list to be closed.
I began spreading the word about the pending closure and how it would have affected: more than 26,000 businesses in Tucson and Southern Arizona who use Cherrybell to get bulk mailing discounts.
Veterans Administration (VA)
I talked about Seniors getting their pension checks and medications, Veterans getting their medications through the mail from the Veterans Administration (VA) and the economy of Tucson and Southern Arizona and how Cherrybell affects all of them.
This issue up to the Tucson Mayor and Council at each meeting and got the Mayor and Council on record opposing the closure.
Media on Cherrybell and its importance and it was a lonely battle in the beginning, but one that needed to be fought for our community.
USPS held a public meeting about Cherrybell on December 27, 2011, two days after Christmas at the Leo Rich Theatre.
The U.S. Postal Service (USPS)
My actions at the Council meetings, press releases I sent out to the media and the public on this issue and meetings with community and business leaders. More than 600 people turned out for the meeting and an additional 70 business owners were present for the meeting beforehand with USPS on December 27. Postal officials were shocked at the attendance and shut down the meeting early and not letting Tucson speak on the importance of Cherrybell to our community.
USPS also had a two week period that they were going to accept public comment on whether to close Cherrybell, More than 1,200 Tucsonans and people from Southern Arizona wrote letters in support of Cherrybell.
The importance of Cherrybell to our community
After this meeting, I continued my efforts, meeting and communicating with our Arizona Congressional Delegation, including former Senators John McCain and Jeff Flake, current Senators Mark Kelly and Kyrsten Sinema, former Members of Congress Ed Pastor and Martha McSally, who got then House Oversight Committee Chair, Mark Meadows to tour Cherrybell, and current Members of Congress Raul Grijalva, Ann Kirkpatrick, Tom O’Halleran, Ruben Gallego and Greg Stanton, Governor Doug Ducey, members of the Southern Arizona delegation to the Arizona Legislature, the Pima County Board of Supervisors and business leaders and organizations about the importance of Cherrybell to our community.
También puedes leer: The Renaissance of Ward 5
Our federal elected officials from both sides of the aisle have taken action, the Governor and Arizona Legislature have gone on record supporting Cherrybell, as well as the Pima County Board of Supervisors.
These efforts have led to getting Cherrybell off the closure list, the restoration of a local postmaster and marketing director, as well as Cherrybell offering U.S. Passport service. The fight continues for the restoration of local sorting and Tucson’s stamp back.
Recently the USPS announced the consolidation of services and closing of 18 processing centers. Cherrybell was not on that list.
Cherrybell is our post office
More than 26,000 businesses, big and small, across Tucson and Southern Arizona use the post office. Cherrybell serves more than 1,000,000 people across Tucson and Southern Arizona. Seniors, Veterans and others get their prescriptions through the mail, while there are others who still get their retirement checks through the mail.
Cherrybell is our post office and is a valuable asset for our businesses, Veterans, Seniors, community and for our economy. We must continue to fight to keep our post office and processing center open, for our future.
