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2015 Executive Board
State President
Robin Bugg
311 Lone Oak Rd.
Grantville, GA 30220
O: (770) 358-0249
H: (770) 583-3133
C: (770) 550-4978
[email protected]
Executive Vice President
Lori McDonough
928 Airport Rd.
Smithville, GA 31787
O: (229) 732-3642
C: (229) 815-0541
[email protected]
2nd Vice President/
Conference Chairman
Rebecca Spivey
P.O. Box 1
Hampton, GA 30228
O: (770) 946-3385
H: (770) 707-1908
C: (770) 584-3317
[email protected]
Secretary/Treasurer
Tammy Cantrell
116 ABB Helton Rd
Cleveland, GA 30528-3700
O: (706) 864-2517
H: (706) 865-3929
C: (706) 878-6017
[email protected]
Editor
Wendy Spears
20 Belflower Rd
Tifton, GA 31794
O:(229) 567-4804
C: (229) 392-2122
[email protected]
Pac Chairman
Nancy Chapman
1041 Thornwood Dr.
Watkinsville, GA 30677
H: (706) 769-6876
C: (706) 296-4052
[email protected]
Pac Co-Chair
Ola Mae Ross
P.O. Box 175
Waresboro, GA 31564-0175
(H)912-283-1227
(O) 912-816-0356
Constitution & By-Laws
All Active Past Presidents
Legislative
Jeanne Dover
202 Autumn Woods Trl
Demorest, GA 30535-4600
O: (706) 778-2751
H: (706) 754-9363
C: (706) 968-9793
[email protected]
PM Representative—South
Joe Griggers
284 Rebecca Cir
Griffin GA 30224-7333
H: (770) 229-2123
C: (770) 584-0391
[email protected]
PM Representative-North
Roy Shaffer
162 Poplar Way
Winder GA 30680-8318
O: (770) 867-7701
C: (404) 357-9596
[email protected]
Retiree President
Sammie Reese
5 Pine Grove Cr
Newnan, GA 30263-2897
H: (770) 251-8729
C: (678)526-3471
[email protected]
[email protected]
Service Representative
Becky Manley
1530 E Broad St
Greensboro, GA 30642-2338
O: (706) 342-1318
H: (706) 453-4258
C: (706) 318-1562
[email protected]
Chaplain/Memorial Chair
David Lovett
P.O. Box 5374
Albany, GA 31706
H: (229) 888-3621
C: (229) 881-0931
[email protected]
Parliamentarian
Theresa Pulliam
200 Harper Ln
Royston GA 30662-2246
O: (706) 384-4314
H: (706) 246-9281
C: (706) 498-3663
[email protected]
Scholarship Chairman
Ruby Britt
P.O. Box 64
Baconton, GA 31716
H: (229) 787-5537
C: (229) 886-1713
[email protected]
Webmaster
Tony Fogarty
120 Wood Creek Rd.
Williamson, GA 30292
O: (770) 567-5597
H: (770) 227-6839
C: (770) 468-3904
[email protected]
National Area VP
Louise Nix
88 Rodney Nix Rd
Cleveland, GA 30528-4730
O: (706) 865-6146
H: (706) 865-4391
C: (706) 878-6173
[email protected]
PAST PRESIDENTS:
*Lon Livingston
*Lawrence McPahaul
*Duncan Flaunders
*Clarence Reynolds
*Charlie Brumby
*Alton Harvey
*Rosa Lindsey
*Clyde Hollingsworth
*Miriam Mallory
*Vernon Roberts
*Don Gibson
*Elizabeth Brock
*Harry Vickers
*Louise J. O’Connell
*Lanne Jamison
*Fred Peterson
*Woodrow Sutton
*Walter Phillips
*Earl Sewell
*Harry James
*Stacey Roberts
Tommie Kelley ®
George Camp ®
*Luther Turner
*Frank Callaghan
*Joseph Rush
*Frances Cowan
William Bryant ®
*James Stubbs
*Joe Turner
*Paul Burroughs
*Billie Hamrick
*Ed Gillis
Brenda Gunn-Reed ®
*John Ranson
*Joan Steward
Tom Webb ®
*Bill Parker
*E. Rex Cowart
W. Bennie Price ®
R. S. (Bob) Harrell ®
Thomas McKleroy ®
Barbara Tuggle ®
Ola Mae Ross ®
Bill Davis ®
Larry Youngblood ®
Louise Nix
Donald Phillips ®
Clarence Robinson ®
Donna B. Kinchen ®
Ben Tuggle ®
Judy G. Miller ®
Dayna Mahaffey ®
*Maggie Dunn
Tammy Cantrell
Jo Dyke
Sammie Reese®
Connie Clark
Nancy Chapman ®
Scarlet Middleton
Jeanne Dover
Louise Nix
* Deceased
® Retired
Around the Cracker Barrel
Inside this issue:
A Publication of the Georgia Chapter of
NAPUS
President
4
Executive VP
2nd VP/Convention Chair
5
6
Editor: Wendy Spears
Secretary/Treasurer
7
Cover: Tony Fogarty
Editor
8
Pac Chair
9
Legislative
10
Retiree President
11
Ramblings of an Old Man
12
PMA Town Hall
13
No Such Thing as Failure
14
***FEATURE on PMG***
15
All in a Days Work
16
MRC Search, WSC Form 150
17
1260 News by Dave Ravenelle
18
Postmaster Plaque Presentation
18
Word Search
19
*The views expressed in this
publication are the opinions of the
writer and not necessarily the opinion
or the position of the National
Association of Postmasters of the
United States.
*Address changes for the Postmasters
Gazette & ATCB can be made at
www.napus.org under Membership
Services, change my record. Use your
membership ID found on the mailing
label of the Gazette.
*NEVER use postal stationary,
telephone or computer for NAPUS
business.
Around the Cracker Barrel is published
every other month by the Georgia Chapter
43, National Association of Postmasters,
118 Boggs St., Lexington GA 30648.
Members of the Georgia Chapter receive
the publication as part of their annual dues.
Others -- Subscription price $10 annually.
Periodical Postage paid at Lexington GA
30648.
Legislative Pictures
20-22
In Loving Memory/Thinking of You
23
Dates to Remember/Promotions
24
Forms in this issue: 1187,State Convention
Registration, National Convention Registration
Please help to make this the best
publication possible. Send articles
and or suggestions to me by May
25th.
President
Robin Bugg
Don’t Let Anyone Take the “H” Out Of Your HAPPY!
I
have to be honest with you. I was in church
this Sunday and the message was on letting
people steal the “H” from your Happy. The more I
listened, the more I started thinking about it. It
has been a very stressful year. I even came
down with that awful thing called, “Shingles”....
yes, I said shingles. At first, I couldn’t believe “I”
had the shingles. Why me? I thought; I shouldn’t
have the shingles, my immune system is great,
and I’m not stressed. Who was I fooling! I realized about a week into the unbearable pain, that
if this is what stress causes, I do not want it.
Needless to say, about 6 weeks later, I can finally put the shingles in my memory of things I
don’t EVER want again. Okay let me get back to
the point of the title of this article.
We as Postmasters don’t want to think about
why we are so stressed. I can tell you that we
are stressed because we let others steal our “H”.
We let our MPOOs, supervisors, employees, and
even our families steal our “H” in our Happy. So
really the problem is “ME/US”. So what are you
going to do about it? Do you always have to win
the argument, do you always have to be
right....think about it. I seem to always want people to be a workaholic, like me, or to be structured like me. So when this doesn’t happen, I get
highly stressed. Who is causing this stress? I
want to blame it on something or someone else,
when actually it is ME. The problem is Me. Let
me say this again. The problem is ME!
Let me get a little more personable with the above
statement. If you let your MPOO stress you, your
employees stress you, or even your family stress
you, then YOU are letting them take your “H”. You
remember when you were in high school and you
thought you would have those same friends forever. Where are they now? Some of you may
stay in touch regularly, but most of us don’t. While
we are working and talking to the same people
every day and then we retire...do you think you
are going to stay in touch with your colleagues
after retirement? Probably only a few; however,
we let these people stress us so bad that our
health is in jeopardy.
When we get so upset and it seems nobody is
doing anything right, stop and think, the real reason may be you. You may just not be getting what
you want. Don’t give away your “H”; you need to
be Happy as much as possible. I know with POStPlan and all the changes we face daily, it is a
tough job to make the day work; however, sometimes we tend to make a mountain out of an ant
hill. One thing is true, at least I have found, that
this day will pass and a new day will come. You
can choose to roll each 24 hours in to the next, or
you can end this day and start the next new.
An older fella told me one time, “A person who
laughs on Sunday, don’t call in sick on Monday”.
Just something to think about.
Robin Bugg
appy
Around the Cracker Barrel March/April 2015
4
Lori McDonough
Executive Vice President/Membership Chair
GA NAPUS Membership, Where Do We Stand?
G
eorgia membership status is currently at 45%
which is above the national average of
33.65%. Total membership, which is made up of
active, associates, PMR’s, and retirees is 578 for
Georgia. There are a total of 603 offices; out of the
603 possible members we have 259 who are members and 344 who are non-members. We are waiting on an updated list from USPS HQ as the 344
non-member list includes the 2, 4 and 6 hour offices.
As of March 31 2015, the National membership
contest is over. At the end of February, Georgia
signed up 29 NEW MEMBERS! Those who signed
up each new member received a $25 check and
had their name placed in a drawing. From the
drawing, our very own Rebecca Spivey won a $250
gift card plus the $25 for simply making that contact
and signing up the new member. She was presented the gift card at the Leadership Conference
in DC, it was great seeing Georgia recognized!
Good job to all of you who played a role in getting
new members signed up!
Just because the contest is over does not mean we
stop reaching out to newly assigned PM/OIC’s or
non-members. Every newly assigned Postmaster
or OIC receives 6 months free membership. We
all know what our membership consists of but non
-members may not. Let it be known to them what
NAPUS has to offer.
Our state convention is coming up in June, bring
a perspective member and show them what being
a member can feel like! Remember, they don’t
have to be a member to attend so invite them
and/or bring them! Our convention is in Cordele
this year which is centrally located for added convenience for everyone!
In my next ATCB article I will be addressing the
merge with the League and how that will affect
our membership, I will post the dues schedule
and in future articles, I will be featuring the benefits of being a member. I am looking for volunteers willing to give their testimony as to what
NAPUS has done for them, what NAPUS means
to them and/or what NAPUS can do for you so
please contact me or…I’ll be contacting you!
Thank you.
Lori McDonough
Congratulations to
Rebecca Spivey
for winning the $250 cash prize in the
membership drive!!!
Around the Cracker Barrel March/April 2015
5
Rebecca Spivey
2nd VP/Convention Chair
Focus on the State Convention
W
e have just returned home from the
Legislative Conference in Washington, DC. The weather was nice and the training was exceptional. I had a great time listening to the wonderful speakers, especially our
new Postmaster General, Megan Brannon
and going to see my Senator. I have always
enjoyed the walk to the different buildings.
But now it is time for me to focus on our State
Convention. I am hoping that everyone is
getting excited about attending and that you
have sent in your early registration form to
Tammy. If not, then you have some time left
to send them in – remember it has to be in by
May 18, 2015 and the earlier the better so we
can get a head count on who to expect.
Be one of the first 45 to sign up and pay
$40.00 for the dinner cruise on Lady Liberty
for Thursday night. Then on Friday we will
have a packed day of speakers, panel discussions and training. There will be all types of
vendors on hand for you to enjoy.
Have you heard enough to get
excited about our State Convention?
See you at Lake Blackshear
in Cordele.
Rebecca Spivey
Now about Lake Blackshear: Lake Blackshear is a part of The Georgia Veteran’s
State Park which was established in 1946
and is a memorial to U.S. veterans. The park
features an array of recreational activities and
its signature Military Museum with engaging
indoor exhibits, as well as outdoor displays
including: a B-29A Superfortress, jets, a helicopter, tanks, landing craft and artillery.
Take a walk on four miles of nature trails, go
fishing and boating, or enjoy the 18-hole
course which provides golfers with a challenging day. There are endless possibilities
including a model airplane flying field, an 18hole Disc Golf course, the Veteran’s Museum, biking, kayaking, canoeing, and a
hummingbird and butterfly garden. I am sure
you will find plenty to do at Lake Blackshear.
You may need to come early or stay longer to
get in all the activities.
Around the Cracker Barrel March/April 2015
6
Tammy Cantrell
Secretary/Treasurer
From the Secretary/Treasurer
W
e had another great Leadership Conference in Washington DC. We were given
so much information while there by our National
Office on the upcoming vote that would make our
Postmaster organizations one, by our new Postmaster General Megan Brennan about issues the
Postal Service is looking at for the future and by
our Director of Government Relations Bob Levi
about things we need to discuss with Congress to
help the Postal Service and Postmasters continue
to survive.
In meeting with Congressional Aides, you discover that some have a good knowledge about
the Postal Service and the issues we face, while
others not so much. When I returned from DC I
was thinking about this and decided I would send
an email thanking the aide we met with and in-
cluding the link on usps.com where you find “Postal
Facts”. I use these facts when I’m asked to speak
at any function about the Postal Service. You can
find all kinds of information including information on
our leadership, finances, history and fun postal
facts to mention a few. It’s updated every year so
the information is current. It’s a wealth of information at our finger tips. You can go to the Postal
People section and look under the Postmaster
Finder for a list of Postmasters for the town you live
in or serve. I’m sure many of you have used
“Postal Facts” before, but if you haven’t I’ve included the link below.
http://about.usps.com/who-we-are/postal-facts/
welcome.htm
Tammy Cantrell
Just a Few Fun Facts
•Most Common Post Office Names — Clinton is the most common Post Office name
with 26 locations. Madison is second with 25. Franklin and Washington are third with 24.
Chester and Marion are next with 23 each.
•Most Common City Names — Franklin is the most common city name with 31
locations. Clinton and Washington are second, with 29 each. Arlington is third with 28.
Chester, Georgetown, Madison and Salem are next with 27 each.
•Most Common Street Names — the five most common street names in the country are
Main, 2nd, Oak, Maple and Park — in that order.
•Longest Main Street — the longest Main Street in America is located in Island Park, ID
(83429) — it’s 33 miles long.
Around the Cracker Barrel March/April 2015
7
Editor
Wendy Spears
Growth Spurt or Safety Zone?
W
ill you decide to step forward into growth
or will you step back into safety?
“Making a daily decision to work on your selfdevelopment, one day at a time, is stepping forward into growth. However, making a deliberate
decision to be safe, results in everything you
know staying the same. Nothing will improve.
Nothing will change. But it will be safe. It will be
comfortable. Which decision will you make today? You will either step forward into growth or
you will step back into safety.” – Abraham
Maslow
Like many of you, I have a bulletin board near
my desk at work. It started out as a place to tack
important reminders, phone numbers, instructions and the like. Slowly, I began placing quotes
that struck a chord with me on the board. One in
particular stands out above the rest. American
psychologist, Abraham Maslow, said, “In any
given moment we have two options: to step
forward into growth or to step back into
safety.” Isn’t that true for all of us? If we never
try, we will never fail or succeed and without failure or success, we will never grow.
How many of us Postmasters were affected by
Post Plan? I was. At 38 years old, I had been
promoted to a level 16 office that I was happy to
sit in for the rest of my career. Then the nasty
beast known as Post Plan raised its ugly head. I
was worried for my future and scared of the unknown. Even knowing that I needed to do it, didn’t make it any easier when I got the call to OIC
in a level 18 office. Shaking in my boots doesn’t
even begin to describe how I felt. I had heard
rumors that the carriers in the office were mean,
that they disobeyed instructions and would crumple up paperwork and throw it on the floor. I certainly wasn’t prepared for that! That didn’t feel
“safe” at all. I knew that my days of being com-
fortable were numbered and I had to embark on a
growing spurt. With my hands trembling and my
knees knocking, I made my way to the new, higher
level office to become their Officer in Charge. Looking back, I can laugh at myself. The terrible carriers
greeted me with open arms and allowed me to step
forward into growth. Because of that OIC and an acting supervisor position, I was able to secure a level
18 office, that has recently been upgraded to a level
20.
Carolyn Gregoire writes, “While staying in your comfort zone can result in consistent, steady performance, stepping out of your comfort zone, into a new
and challenging task can create the conditions for
optimal performance. Think about it: Did you ever do
something you were really proud of when you were
in autopilot mode?” I have found that when I challenge myself, that my creative juices start flowing
again and my capacity for learning increases.
“In an increasingly competitive, cautious and accelerated world, those who are willing to take risks,
step out of their comfort zone and into the discomfort
of uncertainty will be those who will reap the biggest
rewards.”, Margie Warrell writes in Forbes.
Stepping away from safety, whether by choice or
not, can push us to achieve goals we never thought
we could. I believe the future for all of us will be one
where we have to step forward into growth and away
from our comfort zone. As Postmasters we are familiar with change and as active Postmasters we have
all survived Post Plan. Be proud of that fact and take
comfort in knowing that you are not alone and you
are a survivor. When the future calls out to you
again, will you choose to step forward into growth or
will you step back into safety?”
Wendy Spears
Around the Cracker Barrel March/April 2015
8
Nancy Chapman
PAC Chairman
PAC
I
hope that when you made your New Year’s
resolutions, that giving to PAC was near the top
of your list! When we begin a new year, we often
consider how we want to budget our time and our
money for the upcoming year. As we are working
on those budgets, we must remember to include
PAC contributions as one of those line items. You
have several options as to how to contribute to
PAC. You can mail your contributions to me at
any time (my address information is on the inside
cover page of each publication), contribute at
every NAPUS meeting, or give electronically by
payroll deduction or credit card.
PAC funds are used by NAPUS headquarters to
enable us to get messages about Postal Service
issues and Postmaster issues communicated to
our Senators and Representatives in Washington
D.C. We need their help in resolving these issues,
and they need to hear our voices in support of or
opposition to the proposals being considered.
PAC money is contributed to Congressmen who
support the USPS. Also, if your Congressman is
having a fund raiser or a meet-and-greet meal in
your district, PAC funds can be requested from
NAPUS headquarters to purchase your ticket for
the event. What an opportunity to speak one-onone with your Congressman about issues that affect your job and your family. You might not be
able to attend the Leadership Conference in
Washington D.C. each year, but you might be able
to attend a function in your home district. Take
advantage of every opportunity presented to you
to make your voice heard.
Nancy Chapman
House Budget Committee Takes Aim at Federal and Postal Employees
L
ast week, the House Budget Committee favorably reported to the House of Representatives a budget
bill, House Concurrent Resolution 27, that would target the earned benefits of federal and postal employees and retirees. The committee approved the measure on a party line vote, with the Republican supporting the bill and the Democrat opposing it. The bill will be considered by the House of Representatives
later this week; NAPUS members should urge their Representatives to vote NO on House Concurrent
Resolution 27.
The bill impacts the federal and postal community in the following ways:
•Eliminates the Federal Employee Retirement System (FERS) for new employees
•Increases employee contributions to federal retirement
•Limits the Federal Employees Retirement Program (FEHBP) employer contribution to the general inflation
rate, rather than the growth in plan premiums
•Reduces the rate of return on the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) G-Fund
•Reduces residential mail delivery frequency and would change the type of mail delivery
Around the Cracker Barrel March/April 2015
9
Jeanne Dover
Legislative
What do you think……………………
I
s it important that we have a viable postal service, that we could have flexible pricing, and
that we don’t have to fear congress votes to
change the number of years from high three to
high five to base our retirement? Another thing
that was discussed was, have any members of
congress had complaints about PostPlan. Has
the closing of some offices or the hours of some
offices affected their constituents? These are
some of the things that we discussed last week
when we were walking the halls of congress. I
hope these things are important to all of the ones
that didn’t show up to talk the talk.
Another leadership conference has come and
gone. One of the speakers told us the number of
postmasters in the postal service today is around
15 plus thousand. Maybe 10 years ago it was 30
plus. Does this not tell you something? Changes
to the system are here to stay and hopefully those
employees that want to see a viable, universal
system will continue to be here also.
It is sad to say that of that number, there were
around 600 active, retired and guests that at-
tended the leadership conference. Is it that no
one wants to get out of their comfort zone and try
to go for and protect some of the benefits we
have today? I am not sure we will continue to
enjoy having a comfort zone.
Are we working harder or smarter to keep our
heads above water?
If for some reason you can’t attend the leadership
conference one of the best ways to get information to your congress person is to schedule an
appointment at their local office when they are on
their home ground. One of the groups that went
and personally was able to meet and talk with
their congressman was told without us telling
them our concerns they had no knowledge of
them.
Thanks again for the opportunity to be the legislative chair person for Georgia NAPUS!
Jeanne Dover
Around the Cracker Barrel March/April 2015
10
Sammie Reese
Retiree President
Goodbye NAPUS
W
hich do you like more? Mouthwatering left
Twix or drool inducing right Twix? Try both,
pick a side.
For more than 100 years, NAPUS and The
LEAGUE have been the original Twix, both serving
the same purpose of protecting and representing
Postmasters. Many Postmasters could not decide
which one to become a member of so they became dual members. As for myself, I choose
NAPUS and I have never regretted it. As an active
NAPUS member I was elected by the Postmasters
of Georgia to serve as the state President and now
I am the state Retiree President. If I would have
joined The League, I do not believe I would have
been as fortunate.
Before my retirement, my job as a postmaster always seemed easy because I was surrounded by
former NAPUS Postmasters that never said no
when I needed help. Postmasters such as Judy,
The Tuggles, Bennie, Clarence, Corlis, Carolyn,
Rex, Dayna, Ola, Joe, David, J.J., and the person
that I have had more fights with in a learning process, Louise .
Because of NAPUS, I have met and talked with
several Postmaster Generals including the first
female Postmaster General. I have attended several meetings in Washington, D.C., and met several
national politicians as well as Civil Rights legend,
John Lewis. I now have friends in nearly every
state because of NAPUS and I have learned that
my Southern accent is no worse than any other part
of the country. When NAPUS posts pictures in their
magazine, I know them by name and they know
me. Because of NAPUS I have learned from some
of the best Postmasters in the world as well as
served on 3 National committees.
There are some Postmasters who didn’t join either
organization and enjoyed all the benefits that have
been fought for by NAPUS members. This dead
weight of non-members is killing the position of
Postmaster and NAPUS. At the GA NAPUS state
convention it will be decided if the time is right to
consolidate The LEAGUE and NAPUS and become
PMA (Postmaster and Manager of America). Over
the last decade we have lost more than 10,000
Postmaster positions; let us hope it is not too late.
So please join me in saying goodbye NAPUS and
thanks for doing a great job.
Sammie Reese
PMA
Around the Cracker Barrel March/April 2015
11
Roy Shaffer
PM Representative, North
Ramblings of an Old Man
L
ife is good. Remember this no matter what’s
thrown at you.
On April 18th the Athens plant will be closing and
@ 80 employees’ lives will change. I’ve been in
the 305/306 area since 1993 and have always received my mail from Athens. I want to thank Postmaster Virginia Sims and her employees for the
excellent service they have always provided to
their customers (305/306 offices).
Yesterday I received a call from a fellow Postmaster (at @ 5 PM) complaining that a nearby office
was upgraded to a level-20 and that office was a
smaller office than hers. The Postmaster went on
to explain that her office should have been upgraded to a level-20 last January (2014) and she
talked to her MPOO but nothing ever happened.
She went on to complain that the other Postmaster
belonged to a different management organization
and as soon as that Postmaster called that representative the office was upgraded. While on the
phone with the Postmaster, I pulled the office’s
150 and it’s a level-20 so I sent an e-mail to the
MPOO and he replied that he would investigate
and get back with me the next day. Well, I’m goodlooking and somewhat intelligent but neither I nor
NAPUS can help a fellow Postmaster unless we
know there’s a problem/issue. I’ll admit that if you
call my cell phone and I don’t recognize the your
phone number, I won’t answer but if you leave a
voicemail, I will return the call.
When mail count started, a toe on my right foot
started bothering me. I thought it was my gout flaring up so being the stubborn person that I am, I
figured I would ignore it and it would eventually go
away. After two weeks I called my doctor’s office
to see if they would send me a prescription but
they wanted to see me first. I didn’t have time to
go to the doctor so I went through mail count and
the trip to Washington with my toe still hurting and
a noticeable limp. I finally went to the doctor on the
Monday after the Washington trip. The doctor ordered blood work to check my uric acid level and
also ordered an x-ray. The doctor called me later
that evening and told me my uric acid level was
fine but that the toe was broken. I go back today to
see a podiatrist.
You have to take care of you first, the Postal Service will be here long after we’re gone.
Roy Shaffer
“Life is good. Remember this no
matter what’s thrown at you.”
Around the Cracker Barrel March/April 2015
12
PMA Town Hall
I
had the chance to attend a town hall meeting
while in Washington D.C. regarding the proposed consolidation between NAPUS and the
League of Postmasters. This consolidation is not
a merger. Both organizations will be dissolved
and a new organization will be formed. Neither
organization will absorb the other. During the arbitration process there were key components that
both sides brought to the table. Both NAPUS and
the League had a list of “Must Haves” that
needed to be met for this consolidation to take
place.
As a side note, PMA will represent supervisors regarding adverse reactions, but not in pay talks. NAPS
will represent them in pay talks.
PMA Dues Structure
x
.5 of 1% of the midpoint of the EAS salary
schedule
x
Retirees, PMR’s, and Retired EAS: $60
annually (increase tied to COLA)
x
Active: 52% to National and 48% to Chap
ters
x
Retirees: 50% to National, 25% to National
Postmasters Retired, 25% to Chapters
League Must Haves:
x
A two year transition with joint and
equal responsibility between CoPresidents.
x
Equal representation during the transition throughout the organization, at
National and chapter levels.
x
All National votes at the Chapter level,
by % so that each individual member’s
vote counts.
Note: In this structure, more money will go to
the Postmasters Retired and to the Chapters. Associate member dues will be part of
the Postmasters Retired.
The National PMA board will consist of:
NAPUS Must Haves:
x
Retirees must maintain eligibility to
vote on their membership, dues and
time & place of the National Convention. Associate members shall be part
of Postmaster Retirees.
x
NAPUS dues structure must be maintained for the new organization. It
would maintain NAPUS dues and
lower League dues.
x
All National votes must be Chapter
level.
Postmaster Retired
x
Associate
Question: Why are supervisors going to be part
of PMA?
Answer: Because we don’t have level 11-16
Postmasters to promote and develop or to recruit.
Supervisors are part of the new succession plan.
x
Executive VP
x
Secretary/Treasurer (No Salary as in
NAPUS currently)
x
Twelve National VP’s (One to be selected
Executive VP)
x
National Retiree President
If both NAPUS and the League vote to go forth
with the merger, initially we will have:
Active: Postmaster, PMR, Manager,
Supervisor or any other EAS employee employed by the Postal Service.
x
President
Note: Immediate Past President (1 year only)
and Parliamentarians shall be non-voting
members
Under PMA, the Membership Classification
will be as follows:
x
x
x
Co-Presidents for 2 years (current presidents)
x
Co-Secretary/Treasurer for 1 year (current
NAPUS and TBD from the League)
x
12 National VP’s, 6 from the East Area and
6 from the West Area (6 NAPUS, 6
League)
x
No Executive VP during the Co-Presidency
x
Co-Retiree President for 1 year
I
Continued on page 14
Around the Cracker Barrel March/April 2015
13
No Such Thing as Failure
W
hen I read this quote this past weekend, I thought about my colleagues and the USPS. I thought
about the environment that has evolved over the years. With 31 years of dedicated service to this
great organization, I have seen so many changes. Second to the monumental evolution of technology,
the most dramatic change has been the climate that management now works in. In the “good old days”,
we celebrated retirements, service awards, and Postmaster appointments. Now, there is barely enough
time to eat lunch. In the “good old days”, we celebrated accomplishments and pushed ourselves to become even better. Now, we only speak of failures. I truly believe that if we continue to focus more on failures and less on accomplishments, we will fail more than succeed.
Here’s the quote:
Have a great day! From my heart to yours ~
There is no such thing as failure. Failure is just LIFE trying to
move us in another direction.
Think happy thoughts! ~
Be still and know that I am God. ~ Believe that every
day is a great day!
Oprah Winfrey
Corliss White
PMA Town Hall
Cont. from Pg. 13
Eight Postal Area Coordinators will serve 3 year
terms, with no term limits. These coordinators will
provide a channel of communication between the
Organization and the U.S. Postal Service to protect
the interest and welfare of Postmasters and other
members.
The transition period will be 2016-2018. Beginning
November 1st, 2016 the temporary structure will take
effect. At the 2017 Chapter convention an entire
Chapter board will be created. A Chapter Bylaws
template has been created to assist each Chapter
with establishing their new bylaws. Chapters will
consolidate as National does with Co-Presidents etc.
Upon approval of the consolidation by both organizations, all current members will automatically become members of PMA.
During the 2 year transition period the Nation Presidents, Tony Leonardi and Sean Acord will have
many items to go over and decisions to make regarding going forward with one organization. Presidential housing, office location, banking, staff, insurance and auditing are just a few of these items.
I had a chance to speak with the League
President and I can assure you that he is well
equipped to handle the task of this consolidation, as is our own NAPUS President. They
have plowed through past consolidation efforts notes and are determined not to make
past mistakes. Both presidents believe the
proposed consolidation will be passed and
that a new successful organization will be
born. As Postmasters we are in this together
and I believe that, “United we stand, divided
we fall.” I personally look forward to being
one organization and melding our NAPUS
and League families together.
Wendy Spears
NAPUS President Tony Leonardi and the
League President Sean Acord
Around the Cracker Barrel March/April 2015
14
PMG Brennan Pledges to Keep Mail Relevant
March 16th, 2015
P
ostmaster General Megan Brennan addressed
Postmasters at NAPUS’ Leadership Conference Monday, March 16. Attendees warmly welcomed the new PMG. She thanked them for being at
the conference and working to advance comprehensive postal reform legislation to ensure the long-term
viability of the Postal Service and mailing industry.
Brennan said it was an honor of a lifetime to lead
this tremendous organization. “Many of us grew up
in the Postal Service and we are committed to it,”
she said. “The Postmasters and men and women of
this organization serve our customers, protect its
interests and look for opportunities to grow. If not for
those results we collectively have delivered, I would
not have this opportunity.”
The Postal Service had a very successful holiday
season, with an 18 percent growth in packages. “We
earned that business,” she declared. “It was a tremendous job during peak period.”
She acknowledged the challenges Postmasters
have faced with POStPlan; it has been an evolving
and dynamic environment. She credited working
with NAPUS President Tony Leonardi and the
League of Postmasters President Sean Acord to
look at every opportunity to find placements for impacted Postmasters.
“Our commitment going forward is to maintain transparency and talk through any changes that come
down the line,” she pledged. “We’re committed to
maintaining brick-and-mortar post offices, but we
have to be realistic and expand partnerships so
products and services can be available where customers shop.”
Brennan said the challenge is to continue to grow
the business in an increasingly digital era. The
change in consumer behavior represents opportunity
in terms of e-commerce, but it also puts pressure on
the organization. The agency will be rolling out promotions this spring advocating keeping mail in the
system, but making it more
personal and relevant.
Hard copy in mailboxes still
is a very effective advertising tool.
She credited Postmasters as being stewards of
their post offices and communities. And their
customers look to them to establish some type of
normalcy after such events as the extreme snow
experienced in the greater Boston area this winter.
Brennan discussed investments the agency is
making in package sortation equipment and new
vehicles. The Postal Service is looking at new
functionality in vehicles, such as air-conditioning
for Arizona. New safety and ergonomic features,
as well as fuel efficiency, will help manage overall costs. Some replacements for LLVs will have
expanded cargo capacity to support the growth
in packages.
In terms of achieving postal reform, Brennan
said she would like to sit down and find common
ground, including resolving the onerous retiree
health benefit prefunding requirement and establishing a Postal Service health plan within
FEHBP. The agency also would like to maintain
the exigent rate increase.
“If we can get agreement,” she declared, “that’s
a starting point. Working with Capitol Hill, you
need some consensus. My approach is to work
with similarities—not differences.” She said it’s
important for her to meet with key policymakers
on Capitol Hill in her new role as PMG.
Brennan stressed the need for pricing flexibility;
80 percent of the agency’s products that generate revenue are capped. It is critical to be able to
move fast in this dynamic marketplace and introduce products and services that will allow the
Continued on page 16
Around the Cracker Barrel March/April 2015
15
PMG
Cont. from Pg. 15
Postal Service to turn its routes into profit centers.
“We’re a delivery company,” she said. “We should
expand the products and services we offer.”
Brennan said the agency will continue to innovate
at a much faster pace. “We have to experiment
and look at new revenue sources, new ways to
leverage what I describe as an unparalleled infrastructure.”
She told Postmasters that the difficult decisions
made over the past few years had to be made;
otherwise, the Postal Service would not have the
flexibility it now has in the work force—flexibility
that is critical in the current marketplace. “We need
fundamental reform. We need to recognize the solutions are ours collectively to solve; today’s dynamic marketplace continues to change and
evolve.”
Brennan also stressed the need to make prudent
business decisions based on data and the Postal
Service’s standing in the current business environment. “I want us to be the shipper of choice—not
the low-cost shipper,” she stressed. “That includes
service, visibility and competitive pricing; I know
you share my goal to keep mail relevant.
“Thank you for being here this week and educating
our policymakers and ensuring this mailing industry remains viable well into the future.”
H
ayward Ferguson, Postmaster of Fitzgerald, Georgia
exemplifies what it means to be a Postmaster. Having had the pleasure to work as his supervisor, I can honestly say that he is a fair and knowledgeable boss with outstanding management skills. He is always available to help
his employees, neighboring Postmasters and especially
his customers.
ALL IN A DAYS WORK
Here he is seen with a package for one of his customers.
After receiving a phone call that she had accidently given
the wrong address to a clothing company and that her
package had been returned to the sender an hour prior to
the call, he sprung into action to retrieve the package from
neighboring Ashburn, the HCR drivers next stop.
What makes this story so special is that the article was a
shirt for her future son-in-law to wear at his wedding the
following day. To say that Hayward saved the day is an
understatement.
For Hayward and many of his fellow Postmasters, this is
all in a days work, but going above and beyond like this
really sends a positive message to our customers. The
message that we care.
Wendy Spears
Around the Cracker Barrel March/April 2015
16
New MRC Search
T
he MRC Search application is now available
locate. It contains approximately 400 titles. After
in MYPO. The older email version will eventuselecting the title, you will enter the brand, model,
ally go away. You can access the new version on
color and description of the article. The program
the MYPO dashboard or via the Blue Page. The
allows you to enter additional items as well.
path for accessing via the Blue Page
is: Inside USPS – Customer RelaAn email or letter will
After submitting the search, an email
tions – Consumer Advocate –Mail
or letter will automatically be sent to
Recovery Center (under Quick
automatically be sent
the customer via the MRC’s system
Links).
to the customer
providing them information on the
status of their search. It’s important to
Customers will eventually be able to
obtain an email address when completenter MRC searches themselves via usps.com.
ing the Search Form for this reason.
The new online version is similar to the old email
version. It asks for the mailer and addressee information including email addresses. The “if found”
portion is required. This lets the MRC know
whether they should send the article to the addressee or the mailer.
The new version is easy to navigate and has a
contents entry screen where you can search for
the description of the article that you are trying to
A future enhancement is coming to be able to upload an attachment.
Consumer Affairs asks that you give the article an
opportunity to be received before processing an
MRC search.
Wendy Spears
WORK SERVICE CREDITS FORM 150 FLOW CHART
W
orkload Service Credits (PS Form 150) is
the document that determines the level of
your Post Office. You should complete the form
annually, or when an operational change occurs
that may affects your office’s evaluation. The automated Form150 is available on the USPS Blue
page.
Administrative Post Offices (APO) should pay particular attention that that the Form 150 gives appropriate credit for their RMPOs. Workload Service
Credit is given for each RMPO for delivery and
revenue. Of equal importance each non-delivery
RMPO will add 2 exception credits. The combination of WSCs and Exceptions are used to determine the correct Post Office level.
The lengthy time associated with the approval of
Form 150 for Post Office upgrades has been the
source of several Resolution Logs. In response to
our concerns, the Postal Service has provided a
flow chart with timeline. The chart shows a fifteen
day time frame for approval of a complete and accurate Form 150 from start to end. The chart shows
each level of approval required and the time frame
at each level.
Make sure that your office is evaluated correctly,
complete your Form 150 today.
Around the Cracker Barrel March/April 2015
17
1260 News from Dave Ravenelle,
Executive Director
W
e have received numerous inquiries at the
National Offices concerning the completion
of Form 1260. Postmasters are being told to complete forms dating back to December 2014. If the
Postmaster has the documentation this is not a
problem.
ager, by email and request specific instructions
concerning the completion of Form 1260. The
Postmaster should honestly communicate that any
attempt on their part to complete the form without
documentation would be at best an estimate of
work hours.
The issue arises when the Postmaster does not
have the necessary information to complete the
form as requested. It appears in some cases, the
requirement to track bargaining unit work hours
performed by management wasn’t communicated
clearly. If the Postmaster does not have documentation, they should immediately contact their man-
If your manager responds by telephone telling you
to complete the form to the best of your ability, you
should complete the form as instructed. Be sure to
document your conversation with your manager
with a follow-up email confirming his instructions
and that he is aware of your lack of documentation.
Postmaster Plaque Presentation
Rochelle Willis
Melanie Spradlin
Dee Jones
Rob Lovin
Union City
Franklin
Morrow
LaGrange
Around the Cracker Barrel March/April 2015
18
Around the Cracker Barrel March/April 2015
19
Georgia NAPUS on the Hill
Around the Cracker Barrel March/April 2015
20
Around the Cracker Barrel March/April 2015
21
Around the Cracker Barrel March/April 2015
22
LaWayne Satterfield, Cleveland, Georgia, sister of Louise Nix
passed away Thursday March 12th following a period of declining health.
Louise Nix
88 Rodney Nix Rd
Cleveland, GA 30528
Please remember the
families as they
mourn the loss of a
loved one.
Timothy White, Supervisor - Customer Service –Snellville
passed away Monday, March 2nd
Ennis L. Brooks, 100, Postmaster Retired. Edison, Georgia passed away
Monday,
March 9 at Morningside Assisted Living, in Albany, Georgia.
Thinking of You
Willene King, mother of Pat Lee
Please remember our
members that are
caring for loved ones.
204 Frontier Dr.
Pat Lee
Waycross, GA 31503
Scholarship Donations
Would you like to remember someone who is sick or shut in or maybe in memory of a
lost love one? You can make contributions to the scholarship fund in their name. For
more information please contact Tammy Cantrell at
[email protected]
Send your donations to:
Tammy Cantrell
State Secretary/Treasurer
116 ABB Helton Rd.
Cleveland, GA 30528-3700
Around the Cracker Barrel March/April 2015
23
Dates to Remember
Georgia State Convention
Lake Blackshear Resort and Golf Club
Cordele, Georgia
June 4 - June 6, 2015
2015 National Convention
111th NAPUS National Convention
Mobile, Alabama
August 29 – September 3, 2015
(Grand Banquet – September 2)
Postmaster Promotions
New OIC’s
Tina Rudd - Arlington
Charley Nicius - Roswell
Clayton “Skeet” Mitchell - Cumming
Kenneth Atkins - Lilburn
Coretta O’neal Naylor- Eatonton
Paul DeLeon -
Sherry Dukes - Warrenton
Lawrenceville Patterson Road
Ada Czajkowski - Hoschton
Danielle Frazier - Lula
Tracy Davis - Murrayville
If you or someone you know has been promoted or is in a new OIC position, please let me know.
[email protected] I don’t want any one to be left out. Holding the position of Postmaster is something
to be proud of. Let’s help our fellow Postmasters celebrate.
Around the Cracker Barrel March/April 2015
24
Georgia NAPUS 79th State Convention
June 4 - 6, 2015
Lake Blackshear Resort & Golf Club
2459-H US Highway 280 West
Cordele, GA 31015
1-800-459-1230
Group Name: GA NAPUS
Please give Confirmation #: 191533
Room Rates: Lodge & Villa $119 2 Bedroom Cottage $159
Room Reservation Deadline is May 18, 2015
Parking Fee $5.00 one time fee
Conference Registration
Postmasters, OIC, Spouse/Guest…………….…..…….…..$60
Retirees, Spouse/Guest…………………………….……………$50
Any registration received after May 18, 2015 will be an additional $10.00 charge
Early Day Participation (includes lunch)…….…….……..$35
On-Site Day Participation (includes lunch)…….….…… $40
Dinner Cruise Thursday Night (first 45 people max). $40
Please help us manage our funds by checking the meals you will be in attendance for:
Cruise _____ Friday Lunch____ Friday Dinner____ Saturday Lunch____
Dietary Needs____________________________________
Name___________________________________________
Address__________________________________________
Title_____________________ Office___________________
First Timer? _________
Register your email address if you would like to receive emails about website updates, breaking news, scheduled events, early preview of
"Around the Cracker Barrel" and more.
Email address_________________________________________
(Please Print)
Mail Registration Form & Money to:
Tammy Cantrell
116 Abb Helton Rd
Cleveland GA 30528-3700
POSTMASTERS:
Send address changes to :
Around the Cracker Barrel
Periodical Postage
GA NAPUS Editor
PAID at
20 Belflower Rd.
Tifton, GA 31794
Lexington, GA 30648
Register now for the Georgia State Convention