Post Office Mansion?

I'm surprised no one thinks it's a little odd that a customer service manager for the postal service lives in million dollar plus houses. I'm i the wrong career field.

It sounds like the only place these postal employees should be relocated is federal prison, something is very shady here-for example: how does a postal employee afford a 1.2 million dollar home?

I hope you investigate this further.

I HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR A WAY TO EXPRESS MY VIEWS ON THE
POST OFFICE SERVICE FOR QUITE SOME TIME. THEY DO NOT SEEM TO UNDERSTAND THAT THEY CAN NOT CONTINUE TO RAISE RATES VERSUS IMPROVING THE EFFICIENCY. I FOR ONE
HAVE VIRTUALLY ELIMINATED THEIR SERVICE BY UTILIZING THE INTERNET FOR INCOMING AND OUTGOING SERVICES. I REALIZE THAT THIS MIGHT MEAN ELIMINATING MANPOWER BUT IT WOULD HELP A MAJOR PORTION OF THEIR MANPOWER.

Postmaster General John Potter should be mase to resign The postal service is losing money every day. Why should tax payers pay for a postmaster to move much less buy his house 2.8 million of our tax dollars. It is time tax payers stood up and said ENOUGH.... IS ENOUGH Hope CNN post more articles on Postmaster General John Potter he needs investigating

What absolutely ludicious salary is the postmaster getting. Ressession or not, making enough to buy that kind of "home" is way out of line. The job of postmaster does not match pay levels like that. The president of the United States doesn't make that kind of money–and he has a much more complex job than that of Any executive type. Displays of excess like that house is totally uncalled for in any situation.
Have you noticed that the executive types in this country are fighting tooth and nail to keep there excessive pay levels while the economy is crumbling around them-their method of business management is "lay off all the workers" then there will be money for MY salary and bonus. Pretty dumb in my opinion, Do they have any idea where the money comes from to pay their salaries, Why a whole lot of working people buying things. The opinion is that we have the best and the brightest in management position, seems to me that all we have is the most hateful, greedy. sloths in those positions.

Surely the special investigative unit of CNN has better things to do than this. You whack the US Postal Service for a relocation policy that is sensitive to someone that has an expensive home? And that is because...? If you are patting yourself on the back for uncovering this underwhelming piece of information, don't. The people who live in homes like this pay enormous (in fact disproportionate) amount of taxes. They also can be the difference between large organizations running smoothly or not. In many instances, these policies are very helpful moving key human assets where they are most needed, which in turn decreases recruiting and development expenses at the end location.

Please stop. Please quit initiating the nonsense that feeds the frenzy of ill informed people working themselves up about things they understand very little about.

I also wonder does a Post Master make to much money? If he was the sole source of income( i also understand there may be other finanvials to consider) i think he is being overpaid if he can afford this type of home.

Good reporting, this is an outrage. Lets not even get into comparing the USPS's executive perks with the private sector. The Postal Service is not a fortune 500 company, they are here to serve the American public, yet every move they make strips more service away from it's customers.
The USPS is extremely top heavy, 40 executive VP's all pulling down
executive salaries and perks. And quite honestly this is what is killing the Postal Service, the overstuffed management ranks. There is one manager for every 9 workers in the USPS compared to UPS who has a one to 20 ratio. Everyone of those high ranking employees is on a postal bonus system called PFP (pay for performance). Not such a bad thing on the surface, but if you dig deeper you can find what the PFP scorecard is based on for the Postal Service supervisors. For instance, supervisors get high scores for cutting back hours of window clerks, so naturally they purposely under staff the position. As lines grew longer and people grew more frustrated the postal services answer to the problem was to remove all clocks from postal lobbies. You think I'm kidding ? try and find a clock in a postal lobby, they have gone the way of the stamp machine, and collection boxes on street corners, gone. More service gone. I would like to know how much money was paid to postal supervisors last year in just PFP payments alone.
But while the PMG was granted a 39% raise last year, he dares to suggest that we need to cut a delivery day and freeze salaries, why? So the never ending gravy train never ends.
Here's just a couple of other minor atrocities for you,
The USPS is in the process of spending 10 billion dollars on automated flat sorting machines FSS. These machines require a building the size of a football field to house and an internal audit from the OIG says they will not be cost effective due to dwindling mail volume. So they put the money there instead of a green fleet of vehicles ???
Supposedly they are scaling way back, yet one of the corporate offices in Southern California is undergoing is undergoing 20 million dollar renovations and the place looks new. Supervisor and Postmasters don't punch a time clock, they come and go as they please and most of them take full advantage of this situation on the companies dime.
The current PMG needs to go now and all his cronies too, it wont hurt him though because the Postal Board Of Governors has set up a golden parachute of over a million dollars for him. Good job wrecking the postal service.

I hope that you continue to provide the facts about the Postal Service waste.It needs to be exposed.

How in the HELL does a mailman afford a one MILLION dollar home!

How much do postmasters make?! Surely not high enough to cover a $1.2M house....of course there could be other financial resources such as a working spouse, inheritance, etc.

I agree that there should be caps placed within the relocation guidelines, especially in our current economic environment. And a review of USPS management structure and compensation would be a good move as well.

I suggest we bring back the gallows in the town square. This absolutely shameful.

Doesn't surprise me. I recently had gifts shipped from Amazon.com. The packages were mailed from Kansas, trucked to Dallas TX, then to St. Paul Minnesota, and finally back to the Texas coast where it arrived several days late. Nothing smart about the Post Office, their Logistics, or their contributions to a greener planet.

What kind of wages was this guy earning to afford a $1.2 million dollar house? It's no wonder our postal rates and stamps keep going up in price.

In response to Lee Lovely: Better things to do? Like maybe sweeping this abuse under the carpet so Americans can't see what's actually going on in the postal service? You my dear must be one of those elitest types that sees nothing wrong in taking and abusing taxpayers money for personal gain.

How about investigating how management is conducting a rural mail count and trying to cut the pay of rural carriers so they can help "save" the postal service. How about making one postmaster cover several offices instead of just one.....do we actually need postmasters?!?!? The mail is delivered without the help of a postmaster . The supervisor can push the paperwork. Can I drink coffee and chat on the phone all day for 80,000 plus PFP bonuses?!?! Here's where to cut cost!!!! Leave the ones that do the work alone or give them a bonus based on performance.....we will bend over backward to serve the public!!!

The only intelligent comment above is the one by Lee Lovely. The USPS is NOT supported by taxpayers. If someone has an issue with the practices of the USPS, then they should speak with their money, by using other services for mailing. Nothing speaks louder to a company than a dramatic drop in the use of their products and services. It is also amazing that most people here commented that they were astonished that a USPS employee could afford such an expensive home. Instead of spending so much time blogging, maybe all the astonished individuals need to work harder at bettering themselves (i.e. go back to college and get a degree, take a certification training course, etc.) and therefore bettering their positions in life, and then possibly they, too, would be able to afford such a house.

No joke kirkindallas,
I am in the wrong field if a postmaster can live in a million dollar house and have a pension like that and then dare to have us pay for his house and his move. Oh come on. They should all be fired and we can start over. There are a lot of people right now who would do a wonderful job for much less and would not insult us by living in that house and having us pay for it. No wonder this country is in hot water. Does this not seem ludicrous to everyone. Physicians don't make this much money and they have to have years of education and degrees and training. This makes me so mad. I don't care if it was his wife's money or if he inherited it. We paid for this house in a time when it was obvious it would not sell and we would lose money. I feel absolutely certain (and would bet money on it), that there is someone in Carrollton where this man moved, that could have done as good of job and it would not have cost us a fortune. I am sure he was just too happy to unload the house on us. And the postmaster general makes $800,000 a year. Oh I hope someone in office right now does a real job of seeing what has been going on in the postal service all these years and hope that they sack the administration of the postal service for this. Fire them and see if they are even remotely able to find another job like this.

Chuck was spot on with his first post.

Just to add to your outrage, and to rebut the arrogant and condescending Lee Lovely, this guy was the postmaster in Lexington, SC, a booming metropolis of 14, 000 people. Please explain to me how he could afford a house like this, and why we have to buy it from him.
As to paying more than their fair share of taxes, does that include the 20,000 people who Illegally concealed 20 billion dollars from the IRS with UBS? Spare me your" little people don't know what we do for them" speech, Lee.

postmasters are paid by how big their customer base is, i doubt he was above a level-17 which pays about 70,000 dollars depending on longevity. my question is a customer service mgr is no more than a level-17, that sounds like a lateral move and should not have been eligible for a relocation. sounds fishy

this sounds to me like he had connections in high places, i will bet you his house is only worth half what its appraised at and had it appraised for 1.2, some big hanky panky is going on, and i think the postal inspectors should look into it. fraud comes to mine.

Enough. Lee is right on target....the ease with which this kind of misinformation is publicized and the "do what it takes to make the reader click" have led to people complaining about something they haven't had time to fully explore. We don't know anything about this man's financial situation or that of his family.....since when is one's income from his job the only determinant of how they live? We're losing our privacy, our freedoms, and our civility, all to thunderous applause because too many people feel disenfranchised, or cheated, or entitled.
Our economy is mired in a deep recession, and the pain and hurt are sure to come out. But relocation and other programs or benefits are part of corporate culture. Many aspects of executive compensation take forms other than money, and relocation assistance is one of them. When did we all become experts in executive compensation, corporate governance, negotiations, and reward/recognition programs? Why support caps in relocation programs? Because it sounds unfair to have someone else's house bought so he can be promoted or serve his employer in some other way? The USPS (which is NOT a government agency nor dependent in anyway on taxpayer dollars) didn't really "spend" a dime on this house unless they actually have to sell it for a loss, and such purchases are often done at an objective appraised value. One realtor, again who we know nothing about, says it will be difficult. So what?? If it takes a while, it takes a while. Why do we care?? If they sell it for a loss, then what they truly spent on the whole transaction is the amount of that loss and some closing costs (including a realtor's commission and some other items that keep folks employed). The realtor on the other end, the law firm handling the closings, the moving company and the workers, the cable installer, the home inspector, and everyone else employed during a home purchase benefits here. Is it possible that this man's relocation was due to a promotion or some other circumstance that in turn creates a job opening and promotion opportunity for another? Where is your acrimony over $3 trillion dollars for bank bailouts, mortgage modifications, dubious programs and wish list spending that won't create any actual economic benefit for 2 to 3 years? Billions to GM, and they're likely to go bankrupt anyway. $45bb to Bank of America and they trade at $3 a share. $85bb invested in AIG and they're back for a THIRD round of support. Billions to underwater homeowners, far too many of whom believe that because they owe more than the house is worth they don't have to make payments anymore. Don't be mad at a postal employee, the USPS, or anyone else trying to continue their operations. Be angry at the consumer that knowingly went in over his head and borrowed money he had no means with which to pay it back.
If you disapprove of the postal service, do what Mr. Matzinger did and stop using it. If you disapprove of GM, don't buy their cars. Don't bank wherever. But realize that by doing so you become part of a self-fulfiling prophesy and you put more and more people out of work. But whatever we do, I ask that we leave this (presumably valuable and successful) postal employee alone and accept that like most other things in life there is much more to the story than space and our ever-shortening attention spans will allow.

USPS Supervisors make about $58 to $63K/yr – Postmasters only make slightly more. My questions is how did Ron Hopson buy the $1.2mil house on that salary only to move to Carrollton TX to take a lower paying job and better yet, how did he talk the USPS into buying/selling this house so he would not have to?

The Postal Service is just like any other big corporation. They are only as good as the people running them! That's why the Postal Service will be the next organization to fail! Here comes another "Bail Out"!

Brian
USPS

FIRE POTTER !!!! IF I LIED TO CONGRESS THEY WOULD HAVE TO PIPE LIGHT TO ME. THE POST OFFICE FIRED ME AFTER BEING OUT OF WORK FOR A WHILE DUE TO A PRE-EXISTING INJURY RECEIVED IN THE US ARMY. I LOST MY CAR AND ALMOST MY HOUSE, THEY ALSO TOOK ME TO COURT TO TRY TO MAKE ME PAY BACK THE UN-EMPLOYMENT I WAS RECEIVING. THEY HAVE DENIED MY MEDICAL RETIREMENT " THEY " TOLD ME I SHOULD FILE FOR. HOWEVER, I WILL GLADLY MAKE A BID ON THE HOUSE ! THE REST OF MY UN-EMPLOYMENT IN EXCHANGE FOR THE HOUSE. SOUNDS LIKE A DEAL GIVEN THE ECONOMY.

DEBA,
THE ISSUE IS " IF PM'S ARE PAID ACCORDING TO THE SIZE OF THEIR OFFICE AND THIS PM IN S. CAROLINA HAS AN OFFICE, AT MAX, A 21 THAN HOW DOES A SIZE 21 POST OFFICE PAY FOR A MILLION DOLLAR HOUSE?" NOT WEATHER OR NOT HE HAS A COLLEGE DEGREE. HE MAY BE A NICE GUY LIKE THE REST OF US WHO DON'T HAVE A COLLEGE DEGREE AND MAKE AS MUCH AS HE DOES BUT WHAT GIVES YOU THE RIGHT TO TELL EVERYONE BUT YOU AND HIM WE ARE INFERIOR TO YOU??

I am appalled at the Postal Service purchasing million dollar homes when they are downsizing personnel and sending employees home without pay. I am an injured employee who has been working for the U.S. Postal Service for 21 years with a job related injury and was kicked off the job.The customers need to know that they treat their employees like unwanted dogs ready for the slaughter!

Have any of you idiots thought about maybe this postal employees spouse could have a job and make good money? I don't have a problem at all with this story. Of course in today's market they (postal service) might lose money on a real estate deal, how much did they make on deals prior to 2007? I also find the $1M cap on home purchases ridiculous, I am sure there are postal employees in high market areas that own homes over $1M. If one of these employees is moved for another job I don't think they should be penalized arbitrarily because they made good decisions in life.....just because they work for the gov't does not mean they can't live in a nice house.

Only in Anerica can we have postal employees living in million dollar mansions, $1 trillion "stimulus" bills passed by Congress and signed into law by a President before it is ever memorialized on paper, and no one objecting when the president of vice Biden holding a "behind closed door" meeting with the labor socialistic party, and no one says a word. Am I stuck in "Through the Looking Glass with Alice?

You know what the postal service should do? They should elect a board that would endorse end of year bonuses and award their buddies and bankrupt the company (because they KNOW the party is over). Then, they should become a bank or holding company or whatever they call it. They can then qualify for TARP funds. This way these folks can continue to lead cushy lives. While they are at it, they can open up a swiss bank account to skirt their taxes. Lee and Deba sound like they might be VPs or post master majors themselves as they seem overly defensive of the situation. I know doctors who bust their behinds and they only make a quarter of the salary of the postmaster general. So, don't give me this "go back to school and get an education crap." There are A LOT of people out there that would be happy to bust their butts doing the job of three of the VPs and would be overjoyed to make a $200k a year. This is the time that people should look at these boards of these companies and put some new blood in there. Six billion dollar deficit? Sounds like current VP's know what they are doing! Unfortunately, if you ask them what they are doing, they will plead the fith or turf if off to somebody else that can't answer the question. People are pissed off after seeing the excesses while screwing the "little guy" who makes 1/20th of what their "superiors" make. I can tell you this, Obama is definitely earning his keep. Pay me $300k as postmaster general and I'll tear the place up, change some processes, and make people accountable.

Here's a link to the USPS pay scale:

http://www.payscale.com/research/US/Employer=U.S._Postal_Service_(USPS)/Salary

I shipped via overnight express mail with the older version of their express mail envelope. You get a small discount for going through their web site. By the time I was at the USPS counter, the clerk told me that I should have used my own envelope because now he had to charge me more for using theirs. Since I really wanted to get this sent out, I paid for the 'difference'. I avoid the USPS at all costs.

this is one of the more elegant homes in south carolina. architectually speaking, the formal composition is exquisite and must reflect the high taste and intelligence of the home's former resident. i especially appreciate the adaptation of the serlian window into the entryway. the usps should consider itself luck to own such a beautiful home.

Do Lee and Debra work for the post office? Seriously, a good debate among the posters, and while I think the matter should be investigated further, I'd like to put in a plug for the guys behind the counter at my post office whom I enjoy talking sports with.

usps management corruption ?

I can't believe you raised all of this hoopla of the USPS "buying" this mansion, by burying deep within your article the true purchaser of the property, i.e. Cartus Relocation Services. As a Realtor in FL, and a certified Cartus relocation specialist, I can fairly guarantee that the deed for this home is NOT in the name of the USPS, but Cartus. When an amployee opts to accept a relocation package from his company, the process for the transferee is then serviced by the designated relocation contractor. The transferee generally has the option to sell his home on his own, prior to accepting a "buy-out" from the relocator. This could re-coup him more money than the buy-out, if sold within the average of 90-180 days of the relocation period. If Cartus makes an offer to purchase the home, it is only after a state-certified appraiser has completed and submitted an appraisal. The transfer of the deed is handled by the attornies of the relocation company. What the USPS did, was to offer to its employee a relocation package, probably many months ago, prior to the stricter guidelines it put in place recently.
Bottom line: Cartus Relocation Services now owns a home worth $1.2M, and is in the process of selling it. Should it sell for less, Cartus is the company that will feel the loss.
Had you explained the typical corporate relocation process more thoroughly, you may not have stirred such a tempest with your readers. So what is your goal: investigative reporting or sensationalism?

Mr. Potter is not worth his current salary. He runs a company, that
would operate on it's own. As for the purchase for the 1.2 million
property, it happens all the time. If a Postmaster does not like where they are, they simply move knowing full well, that the Postal Service
covers them. Then they move again and again. It really is fraud.

Mr. Potter does not operate the Postal Service. The Postal Service
is operating by the hard work that the Carriers and Clerks perform.

Management at the Postal Service is scary. They break the backs
of their employess. At level 21 and above office's the installation
head really does not perform any work (waste of money having them)

The Real Estate department at the Postal Service operates like business, like the ecomony is great.

The real fraud at the Postal Service is in the policy's they hide under.

Most of the talent in management is that there is no talent, the policy
on promotions is( How well do I like you-not merit based)

I am sure that the Postmaster that moved to become a customer service manager just moved because he ran out of gas and wanted
a less burden of a job. Really who would blame that person.
Less work more pay, quite a remarkable thing.

Personally, it's none of my business that this person had a home worth $1.2 million. What is my business is why a quasi-government agency is buying properties from employees who do not have mission critical skills. I've been to TX and there are loads of scientists and doctors and all sorts of smart people with lots of specialized skills, so I'm pretty sure there was at least one person, maybe even in the same post office, who has the skills to run it. Therefore, long distance searches and relocation should not be necessary. If this gent wants to move from SC to TX after applying and winning the job, Great! However, the move and risk associated with selling his home in ANY market should be his responsibility. With such special skills, I'm sure the he could have sold his home for much more than the post office paid him. Right?

The Town of Lexington SC has 9,700 residents. Here are the red flags in this case. How much are we paying this "former" postmaster? How can a civil servent own a $1.2mil house? This was a voluntary move to Carrolton – why are we buying his house on a voluntary move? He has a lesser job now as customer service manager. Did he take a pay cut as well?

I want to be a civil servant too.

In the Wrong Job

I have to wonder how many people are going to live in the 8,400 sauare foot house. ^ bedrooms 4 full baths and 2 half baths. Is The person going to adopt octuplets plus 6.
How much energy does a house like that consume?
On our two incomes we live in a 20 foot travel trailer, and average about $120.00 on ellecttric and propane. We are extremely happy in our little trailer, and the only thing we miss is room for a pool table. We would love to have a home less than one tenth the size of that one.
Now a question how many of you are treated with any respect from postal employees?

So many people do not understand the issues and are influenced by a liberal media to the point they are blinded by stupidity.
Fact – There are very very few execs in the postal service who enjoy any of the perks that private industry enjoys. The PMG earns his salary. He is accountable to the american people and has done an excellent job managing the USPS.
FACT -He runs an organization that delivers to every single delivery in this country – over 300,000,000 of them.
FACT – He runs an organization of over 700,000 employees.
FACT – He runs an organization that processes and delivers billions YES BILLIONS pieces of mail every year.
FACT – The USPS processes more mail than all combined postal services of the world combined.
FACT – The postal service has one of the lowest stamp rates in the world.
FACT – The USPS is consistently rated one of the best goverment entities in the US on an annual basis.
FACT – Most management employees in the USPS (90% of them) earn less than 100K per year including this PM in SC. Everyone is wanting to string up the postmaster in SC but has anyone thought he might have married money or made wise investments to be able to afford this?
FACT – TAXPAYERS do not fund postal salaries – it is STAMP SALES! When stamp sales go down then so do most of the benefits of postal employees including the execs!
Now everyone get back to life, leave the hard working people of the postal service alone, and start thinking about what you can do to get our economy going again instead of complaining about something you do not have all the information on!

I'm sure the Post office could do much more in the way of cost-cutting activities if they tried instead of whining about expenses and stopping Saturday delivery (besides lowering relo max house price) . Maybe STOP designing, marketing, and selling UN-necessary things like designer stamps – plain old American Flag stamps work great. They, like others just don't get it YET, it is not business as usual !!!

As someone who works for the postal service and I work very hard for my pay check . This is just crazy. Transfer a person you don't really need to a job that should be deleted. Those of us at the bottom of the pile are paying the price. Working more for less. By the way that's are new saying "Do more with less". Hell I work at the post office and can't afford to buy a new car much less a house.

To cut cost the postal service is closing processing plants throughout the US and now they are relocating the PMG on our backs. The employees that are losing their jobs receive NO relocation help. Take the job we offer or find a new job. Doesn't seem fair to the working class at the Post Office.

All they have to offer is service and if they aren't given help like AIG a private company we can't expect them not to raise their rates to off set thier losses.

Let me preface this by saying that I work for the postal service. Not as a high paid exective, but as a carrier (and proud to be). What bothers me most about this is that this was a VOLUNTARY

That's it. No more Christmas bonus for my mail carrier.(funny...I think).

Indoor swimming pool? Must have been practicing for the upcoming USPS junket in Hawaii. Someone should look into all of the junkets that the USPS Management team takes; it would make AIG pale in comparison.

Actually, I used to cover all of South Carolina in a previous job, and have been through–yes, through by the P.O. I do not think more than 20,000 live in the township. By the look of most of the homes, probably a quarter of the folks live at or below the poverty line.

My wife and I are struggling to make ends meet and we read this.

This is shameful reporting. The individual involved accepted a job as a customer service manager (median salary of $68,000) has done nothing wrong and is now subjected to the wrath of millions because he is fortunate enough to be able to afford a very nice home. Maybe he and his spouse are retired physicians or owned a successful business or discovered buried treasure and this is a second career. None of our business quite frankly. I personally hope that we can continue to live in a country where it is NOT shameful to hope that we or are children can aspire to be successful.

Even the original title (I think it's now been edited and modified) of this article is misleading and indicative of the trash reporting this really is...something like "Postal Service purchases $1.2M home for employee". It's a relo purchase, like thousand of relo purchases companies conduct every year for relocating employees. Probably in microcosm a stupid relo purchase, but the USPS is not taxpayer funded and like all private organizations should have the right to make their business decisions. Whether efficient or inefficient, my guess is the difference on a well run relocation program and a poorly run one is a round off when it comes to a price of a stamp and far from low hanging fruit when it comes to areas for efficiency improvement. My guess is a story on logistics or warehousing or fleet management isn't going to get a lot of readers though.

With all the alternatives to USPS these days...Internet bill pay, Email, UPS, Fedex, the best way to comment on a price of postage is to take your business elsewhere rather than assualt the American Dream

RHONDA M,
I AM IN THE SAME BOAT AS YOU. I AM A DISABLED VETERAN AND THEY FIRED ME BECAUSE THE INJURY I RECEIVED IN THE MILITARY AND THE INJURY THEY KNOWINGLY HIRED ME WITH, FLARED UP AGAIN AT WORK. NOW THEY DON'T HAVE WORK FOR ME WITHIN THE RESTRICTIONS "THEIR" DOCTOR GAVE ME SO... THE LETTER MY DOCTOR GAVE THEM RELEASING ME TO FULL DUTY WITHOUT RESTRICTIONS MEANT NOTHING. i FEEL VERY UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THE PURCHASE OF THIS HOME AND THE SALARYS AND BONUSES THAT MANAGEMENT GETS WHILE THEY GIVE ME NOTHING AND I LOSE MY CAR AND HOUSE. MY FAMILY OF 6 GETS SCREWED BECAUSE MANAGEMENT IS GREEDY

If you look at the real problem ,it is the Unions that file frivolous grivances that cost the postal service billions of dollors. Management is not top heavy, it is the craft this is costing the big bucks.

What bothers me about this whole issue is that this was a VOLUNTARY move. This person wasn't necessarily moved because his talent was needed elsewhere, this person was moved because he/she WANTED to move. Therefore, why should this even qualify for transfer benefits? I have heard several stories over the years of executive moves costing 150-200 thousand dollars just in moving expenses alone! The Postal Service is no different than all of these other companies that are struggling right now. They are losing money hand over fist, yet continue to pay bonuses and incentives at the expense of the customers and the people who actually perform the work.

It is not the schedule of the working people (ie. carriers, clerks, mail handlers) that needs to be restructured. We are the Postal "Service"-service is all we do. Therefore, cutting "service" (our bread and butter!) to five day delivery is not the answer! Like other companies, we need to trim the fat! The Postal Service has too many paper pushers watching people who are actually working! We need to work smarter! We are spending billions on Flat Sorting Machines in a time of declining flat volume. (Though I am sure someone got a bonus for that!)

How about working to make us more effecient. I would love to see our Post Offices with solar panels on the roof tops, powering the building and the electric zero emission Postal vehicles, then putting energy back into the grid earning an energy credit. I would love to see scanners that did actually did away with the unnecessary paper we continue to generate on a daily basis nationwide (note that UPS has had this for years and years). I would love to see improved technology for tracking parcels so that we can improve the service we provide.

We continue to reward individuals who are managing our company into the ground. The Postal Service has been part of our great nation since 1725. We need to listen to our customers, listen to the employees in the trenches, we need to strive to be viable in tough economic times by improving the "service" we provide-not tearing it down. The people who are defending the incentives these executive gladly receive are obviously people who benefit from such. It is time to trim the fat! It is time to tighten the belts. It is time to stop the mismanagement that has plagued not only the Postal Service, but the auto industry, Wall Street, etc. It is time for accountability! It is time for transparancy! It is time for effeciency!

Thank you CNN for continuing to fearlessly expose the wasteful practices of those companies with their hands out expecting us to throw more good money after bad.

HOW MUCH DOES THIS POSTAL EMPLOYEE EARN THAT HE CAN AFFORD THIS HOME?? WHAT KIND OF SALARY ARE TAXPAYERS PAYING THIS POSTAL EMPLOYEE? iAM SURE THIS IS A DROP IN THE BUCKET COMPARED TO OTHER WASTEFUL SPENDING BUT THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS!

I would like to understand who is paying the shortfall between the the original listed price of $2,995,000 ( http://homes.point2.com/US/South-Carolina/Fairfield-County/Winnsboro/Plantation-Pointe/2130048-Photos.aspx ) and the now listed price of $1,200,000.....so just who is paying the $1,795,000 difference.......you're right, the taxpayer.

I knew this was coming. I retired from USPS in 2000. Back in the 80's when Pres Reagan fired all those traffic comptrollers for wanting a raise and better health plan all the other workforce agencies took it to heart. They started eliminating jobs doubling their salaies, and o yes those bonuses came into play. The Postal Service is very top heavy in managment. Does anybody remember they gave Fed Ex 10 billion so they would carry their(usps) packages. Fed Ex took that money and bought out Kinkos. And how about that 10 million given to Lance to sponsor him. I just hope I live through my remaing years without losing my postal pension.

Arlene thanks for putting the truth out there!

Brian your wrong the tax payer is not footing the bill. The owner of the home accepted a buy out from the relocation service, not part of the USPS, the relocation service now owns the home, a private company.

CNN should be ashamed that they are telling half truths. But it did just what they wanted, got all you readers to drink the kool-aid! Sorry your all sheep.

In response to Doc-you must be in management. The union does not cause the grievances-management does. The union is simply reacting to a mis-managed situation. Management and the Union work TOGETHER to come up with a Collective Bargaining Agreement-there is nothing unilateral about it. This Agreement protects the working people from self-serving managers who want to take advantage of their "power". The same people who think they deserve to have their house purchased because they want to move to another state. The same people who believe they deserve a bonus even though the company lost billions. The same people who produce nothing yet continue to receive a paycheck while the front line workers are losing their jobs. Wake up and smell the recession!

Thanks, Mike C, you got it. Brian is just plain wrong on the taxpaper absorbing the $1,795,000 difference in purchase price. The employee took the loss on the sale of the house to Cartus Relocation (again, NOT the Postal Service) since he was unable to sell it in a slow real estate market.
CNN, publish the facts correctly and stop leading your readers on to misguided conclusions! Maybe the USPS needed to review thier relocation policy, but not at the expense of this one employee being trashed by every one.

I have to agree with doc. The unions and all their frivolous grievances tie up alot of time and money for the USPS. Additionally, the limited duty employees (so called "injured") are also sucking the life right out of the USPS. They are the dead weight that is bringing a once powerful institution to its knees. My favorites are the mail carriers that are so "injured" that they can drive their personal vehicle but are unable to drive a postal vehicle. The list of "injuries" goes on and on...

This is not SUPRISING. The USPS Administration has for a very long time in the practice of shady, and covert programs such as this, it's been happening for years- BUT the only employee's who benefit from relocation programs, forced-labor practice's, punishment of employee's who utilize their sick leave, bonuses, travel accommodations at 5 star hotels, and live in million dollar homes, the list is endless.. BUT again the only employee's who benefit are the USPS ADMINSTRATION STAFF AND MANAGEMENT. Your regular postal employee- the person who deliver's your mail, or sell's you stamps at the window, THEY GET NOTHING other than have their hours cut, lose their job, or required to work twice as hard for the same pay. Keep in mind that at one time the USPS did generate a profit in the millions. Now due to downsize of labor jobs, to increase wasteful spending and inflated administrative salaries, neo-creation of a useless and dysfunctional management- the USPS is in the RED – yet these programs still are in effect and use.

AS AN EMPLOYEE OF LEXINGTON, $1.2 MILLION WAS NOT ALOT OF MONEY TO GET RID OF A UNPOPULAR POSTMASTER.

doc & Observer obviously hate unions. But honestly, if you look for trends the unions are in retreat in the grievance world. They would rather talk and reach agreements. The people who should be the MOST ticked off about this is the thousands of clerks that have lost thier bid jobs. The thousands of clerks who have had thier jobs eliminated with no support. The thousands of clerks have been excised with not golden parachute.The rural route carriers who have lost thousands of dollars due to loss of volume and renaming types of mail. And the city carriers run by a software program that doesn't know the job. All the little indians in the USPS are being beat down, encouraged to retire. While a elite little club is living the good life. The public sees this in the lessened clerks at the windows, or not seeing the same carrier everyday at the same time.

The true point of this story is the voluntary re-location. If lower level employees wish to transfer, they do so at their own expense. This is another example of the "good old boys club" taking care of their friends. Unions are not the reason the postal service is losing money. Unions can do nothing if management doesn't VIOLATE the contracts they agreed to abide by. The postal service has many managers in offices, doing insane and useless paperwork. How many supervisors do you need when the carriers spend 75% of their day on the street. Postmasters are only required to spend 4 hours per day in their offices, but carriers are being pushed to do 12 hours work in 8, and disciplined when they can't. The current rural mail count is a sham. Managers manipulate mail and expect carriers to just be happy they still have a job. Management will even tell stewards that they have, "we have the right to mismanage." Trim the useless figureheads at the top and pass the savings on to the customer. Do not decrease service, and continue to reward the thieves!

I am a City Letter carrier for the United States Postal Service and I would like to let everyone know that it is not the bottom of this food chain that is the cause of the budget problems! After walking 11 miles a day delivering the mail I wish I could walk into a kitchen like the one in this mansion, then jump into the indoor pool which is most likely was warm as a bath, then roll the dice to decide what bedroom I am going to sleep in tonight. Instead......I come home feed my family, sit down and study my budget to make sure that I can pay my mortgage and keep my family fed. Maybe I could get a transfer to a route that I can drive, get an appraiser to say my house is $1.2 million and let the USPS by it. People need to start blaming the management that are living high on the hog and not breaking a sweat earning their pay check. This is a blatent waste and you should see the ones that CNN hasn't found yet!

I am a Postal manager who has also transfered with relocation benefits. In my situation, I did NOT accept the offer on my home from the Postal Service. Their offer was considerably less than the amount I sold my home for (which sold on the first day it was listed). I believe in this situation it was the "exception" rather than the rule. The Postal Service does not throw around it's money. It has reduced it's expenses and payroll. It does NOT get taxpayer subsidies. In fact, it's the only Federal agency of any kind that has to pre-fund it's retiree health benefits, to the tune of 5.8 billion dollars. It's retirement fund is solvent. The rest of the federal agencies (funded by TAXPAYERS and part of the federal budget) are in the hole over a trillion dollars. So for those of you who are quick to point a finger, check the facts.

Do I agree with this relocation? Probably not. It was not a good decision to allow someone in management to "lateral" to a desireable job and commit to relocation fees of that magnitude.

Doc:

You are a complete idiot to think that management isn't top heavy. By the way, whose fault is it that management is paying for grievances filed by the union? I will tell you, management. They wouldn't have to pay out anything if they would follow the contract. They don't follow the contract and then blame everything on the bottom people.

Arlene:

If the relocation company owns it, then why is their spokesman talk like they are the ones paying for the home? Just asking. I don't know. Someone is paying the relocation company. Why would they pay for something then take a chance that they would lose money on the deal?

I am a window clerk .My husband is a rural carrier. It is the incompatence of managers and whoever sends down there orders that is ruining our jobs.they should not be able to be in charge of any office untill they have delivered mail and worked the window.our postmaster does not have a clue what she is doing but she spends the hell out of money.she does not care about customers or employees.I wish cnn or someone could just investigate a little deeper the post office is a interesting job. But in the past years its the who you know to move on up way to get a job is killing us.It needs to be what you know and how hard you work is the way to move on up.I hope it gets better for everyone but the wasted money I see is scary and it needs to stop.

As a retired letter carrier (20 years), I resent the fact that this type of chicanery is going on. My retirement is peanuts compared to what this Potter PMG is getting. If my guess is right, he was either a politician or a cretin they found in some other failing venture, who knew absolutely nothing about the inner workings of the Postal Service. When I first started working, the postmaster was a politician. After he retired, the next postmaster owned a car dealership prior to his hiring–and so the story goes----–.

re-reading much of this blog, I do want to thank the many postal service employees that are taken for granted and consistently deliver the mail, truly through all kinds of muck, dogs barking, rain, snow, sleet, and the often blocked mail box. You ladies and gentlemen are wonderful, and all this stuff aside, you don't get enough recognition. I don't know anything about the management – labor relations at the USPS, but for what it's worth: THANK YOU.

Let's make sure that we are reporting this right. This has nothing to do with Postal Employees as far as city mail carriers. This is about management because we do not have any move around rights as city carriers. This is once again management making the USPS look bad for all employee's. If I want to move somewhere else you better believe they won't be buying my home in fact, they'll make me wait for years before I can even go anywhere. Management can leave as they please.

thank you Coach as i feel apreciation from most of my customers they too see how bad our office is being ran since our last postmaster has been in charge say last 8 years we just keep hoping we get one with some common sense.but whats scary now it looks like thats not going to happen postmasters like her are in too many offices and look whats happening its going broke..........

I agree with Kay. He wasn't very popular in Dillon, or Hartsville, or Florence, or Marion. I wonder how many times he did relocate.......hmm.

I live about 20 minutes from this lake so when I read this story I went to see this house myself and what I don't understand is why in the hell doesn't this 1.2 million dollar home have a concert drive way, I will tell you that this home is beautiful.

wow sounds like carrollton post office is in for another fluke manager huh. they will sure fire the carriers and clerks for just cause but they just move the stupids all around to different managment positions.

This is shameful reporting. I agree tht 1 million is a lot to pay for a house, but where is reporting on the on how the USPS will also sell the house and that they just did not make a one million dollar "operating expense"? This is a capital purchase, so it is mostly only a cash consideration on it's balance sheet and minimal impact to its income statement . Keep in mind that the USPS does not take ANY tax dollars and that it is the largest employer in the US. So how is the post master general's salary is too high? Compared to who? CNN executives? Stamp prices going up? boo-hoo. Where is the CNN news story complimenting the USPS's stamp prices compared to other countries? Then no one would watch, right? Where is the story on how CNN does not report news but markets sensasionalism and distorts the facts only for ratings so tht it can make money? How much does CNN's executives get? ...more thatn 800k/yr, I'm betting.

The whole postal service needs to have an in depth investigation. The general public does not understand how it works and evidently niether does President Obama when the first thing he suggests doing is to raise rates on benefits for retirees. The federal government and ALWAYS the postal service want to solve their mismanagement by attacking, taxing and abusing the workers first. I for one believe they should start at the top with cuts in benefits and pay. Leave the hard working carrier alone or even give them some of the extra money and perks!

Mary:

It is the idea that the Post Office is purchasing a home from an employee who is transferring. Also, the article says the Post Office loses on the average of about 57,000 dollars in the end. That is the average on all of the houses it purchased from relocating employees. Now there may be a company doing the purchasing like someone said above but, in the end, the Post Office is losing money on each transaction. The company stated above that purchases the houses and then sells them for the Post Office isn't going to take a loss. So, in the end, the Post Office takes it in the shorts. The relocation company will get a commission after selling the house. Plus, I would be willing to bet the longer the house is on the market, the more money the relocation company will get from the Post Office. That is, cost associated with the house being on the market longer than normal. Bottom line, the Post Office has been losing money and they go out and buy houses of the good old boy network and take a loss when each one is sold on the average.

Please don't confuse Postal Workers for Upper Postal Managers. Postal workers do not get perks such as this. Upper Managment Only get these REWARDS.

Postal workers are 97% Veterans, make good pay but not beyond prevailing wage ($12.00 hr for unskilled PT to 27.00 hr. for highest skilled 15 Yr Electronic Tech.). Postal Workers are constantly loosing their jobs to "Contract Services" which cost far more than if the work was completed by in house skilled craftsmen. Noting: these craft employees are highly "double" trained, by Military and US Postal Training Facility.

As war Veterans return home daily, the Goverment is doing away with the few jobs availble to Disabled War Veterans in the Postal Service. In 2010 the Postal Service intends to further reduce Skilled Craft positions, giving the work to select contract entities. Probably to keep funding perks such as this for upper management. The cost... Veterans on Unemployment and Social Security.

The US Postal Service does NOT get tax dollars. However the Postal Service has a spending problem on the upper end. It appears corruption may have tainted our upper ranks. As this gets more and more exposed, it will get unglier before it gets stopped.

Can you say discruntled employees? And maybe a little ingnorance. As said before, the relocation took place much earlier than during this hard economic downfall. And believe it or not, the American People have a right (well for now) to invest in their own businesses and at they can even be successful. You would be suprised how many Postal Employee's craft and management that actually hold more than one position. And how many have successful spouses that are actually better off financially than the Postal Worker has been.

And just for your information, the Postal Service had stopped offering relocation benefits for lateral transfers long before this story broke. CNN – you are quite behind in your reporting. And where did this story come from? Another green eyed monster – most likely working for the same organization that is being attacked.

Yes, sometimes companies, especially those under watchful eyes and specifically those that are a part of the Federal Government do make some choices that appear to be less than logical. But when PMG said he was cutting costs, he is cutting costs. They determined many months ago that they would not pay for relocation costs for downgrades and laterals. Yes, maybe they never should have but nonetheless – the recognized it was an expense that should not be made and stopped it.

Much like many families have stopped traveling so much due to higher gas prices. And why we eat out less due to higher food costs. We tighten our belts when we must. I would bet even if the Company ever begins making a profit again, these perks will never be re-instated.

And as far as those employee's who have been removed from the Postal Service. Quit crying the blues. Does the American People know how hard it is to remove a veteran from a government position- especially in the Postal Service. You have to get caught red handed stealing whether it is money or time before they will let you go. And usually you have to be caught a minimum of 5 times. So stop trying to get folks to feel bad for you. You know you are a slug! And I am sure the hard working Postal Workers that were pulling your dead weight are quite happy you have stopped sucking up their saleries.

I also find it amazing that everyone will jump on the band wagon about the Postal Service – stamp prices (do you realize everytime gas goes up 1 cent – it costs the company 8 million dollars?) taxes (not part of the USPS make up) and the PMG, Jack Potter – who by the way is one of the only recent Postmaster Generals who I believe actually did work his way up through the ranks and not hired directly off the street with no applicable knowledge. Yet, folks will happily buy a 16 oz bottle of water for $1.29 which is $5.64 for a gallon. Hmmm

Another interesting fact about the Postal Service is Every...yes I said EVERY employee pays Federal and State Taxes in addition to MEDICARE every single week. That's right, the Post Office employee funds other government agencies.

But as they organization tightens their belts, rural carriers – you are paid for WHAT you do, not how many hours you work. If you have less work to do, should the company pay you the same? City Carriers and Clerks are full time employees who still have their jobs – no lay offs. They should be working full time, not getting paid full time and working part time. And Postmasters, Managers, Supervisors are working without any compensation up to 12 hours per day trying to finish all the More for Less stuff. They have cell phones – usaully their personal phones not compensated by the company attached to them 24/7 and expected to respond immediately. If you work for the Postal Service, your boss is the Consumer. You'd better learn to do a good job for them or you could be like one of the Auto Maker employee's. Good benefits, but no job.

But lastly, the majority of the Postal Employee's are excellent people and hard workers. The carrier – Rural or City will take every extra measure to get you your mail and protect it at all costs. Schools close, Medical Offices close, etc. for weather conditions but the Postal Service never stops it's service. The Postal Service did not even stop through threats of ANTRAX. Employees showed up everyday. Union Employee's, Non-Union Employee's, Top Executives, Postmasters, Supervisors and all other personal show up and they deliver. They provide service. Yes, there are a few bad apples – just like everywhere. But when you read this remember the Postal Employee that you know. I bet every single one of you know a Postal Employee or have a relative that works for the Postal Service.

The Postmaster of Lexingtion was a level 22 Postmaster. He applied for a job, he was awarded the position. One of the perks was relocation – at the time. When he personally could not sell his house, the Post Office supplied a means for this to happen. It was for the Market Value, at the time. The company full expected to reap a reward for their investment. It wasn't some sort of bonus. It was an investment that did not work out as planned. Much like many of our own investments for those who had their retirement invested and didn't get out before it went South. Things happen. It was not a shady crooked deal. It was an unfortunate turn in the economy. Just as many Americans invested in their own homes and presently may be showing a loss.

Stop making this something it is not. CNN shame on you for only telling a portion of the truth. Shame on all the media for consistantly only telling part truths. You should take responsibility for the way of the world. Afterall, you only tell what gets reaction – not the rest of the story! Bless Paul Harvey.

i just hope before it gets to the point there is no postal service oig or maybe postal police will step in and get rid of the ones that is hurting the operation i know it will take alot but i can be done.

As a carrier for 14 years and a very hard worker, It is a good job. However the Customer Service we learned about in the beginning is now a thing of the past. All they think about is how to save work hours and keeping their budget down. We get no recognition or awards
for doing a great job day in and day out. It is a very physical job and
hard on your body. WE ARE THE ONES DOING ALL THE HARD WORK. I treat my customers with the best service I can even though
I feel that Management cares mostly about how much money they
save at whatever cost.

TO: CF and others like him,her
FACT – Maybe the PM did make wise investments to buy the house but I doubt it cause the postoffice probably gave him some fat bonus to move there and now paying for him to move again. I can tell you, FACT the postoffice wastes alot of money moving these sorry behind employees around and covering for the ones that can't get the job done. Just like in other big business the post office has to many people at the top doing nothing and getting big bonus checks for it. If this postmaster could really afford this house thats fine but why in the h ll did the postoffice have to buy it.?

wasn't a stamp once 32 cents?

I'm a postal worker and a veteran i have been with the postal service going on 19 years. The way management treat us craft employees it down right disrepectful. They took away our overtime claimly that the mail volume had drop.But they turn around and spent between 68million up to 100 million or more for a new building which is located in opa locka,Fl. But they already have three large P&DC plants with 25 miles of each other and two of are near large Airports and the other one is located in pembroke pines,Fl, which is located between the two other larger P&DC. Now you ask yourself why do we need a fourth P&DC. IF postmaster potter tell us that mail volume is low and the economy is bad.The only cuts he did made was to ensure that the craft employees get no overtime period.Since he have to make sure his executives don't have their pay cut.And pay for a building we don't here.To SUM It UP MR.Potter what the Postal Service to go privatize so he can get rid of all the old military veteran and ran it they way he wants.

The US Postal Service spends a lot of money unnecessary relocation cost due the VP wants to be lived in a nicer area. There is a lot of waste in the postal service.

I am right up there with Chuck, this is an outrage and someone should be investigating the Post Office. There is so much waste and they are definitely top heavy, no doubt. The mail is down and they are cutting rural workers pay but the city carriers have the same amount of mail and they are guaranteed 8 hours of work and no cut in pay. how is that logical?

The rural union needs to stand up and save it's workers and the USPS needs to cut management's pay TOO!

Congress needs to investigate this ABSOLUTELY!

Now, as a postal employee myself, I would like to say a few things about this. There is a HUGE problem with the upper management in the postal service. In fact, it should not be considered a "service" at all. I have over seven years in, and about 30 to go. With a base salary of about $45,000 and a mortgage of $2,200, I struggle just like everyone one else that works for a living. I am so sick of people saying what a nice job and such great pay we have at the P.O. Talk you your mailman! He or she will tell you that we deal with cut-throat managers and psychotic postmasters (six days a week) that are only there because their position is just that – a position! We have had managers assault employees and not have anything done about it. Would that fly in the private sector? NOT A CHANCE!!!! So, when you decide to come to a forum such as this, and you aren't properly informed about the situation, please, next time ask someone who knows.

Taxpayers do not fund postal salaries, and get ready for the stamp price to go up in may 09" to 44 cents .
People always say WOW that's a great job! When they find out you work for the service, but it aint easy to get in and definitely
Not easy to put up with these management jerks, 9 out of 10 are expecting for you to kiss their behind like slot of employees do.
Specially around this hard economic times their quick to fire anyone who has a accident wether your fault or not, and the hot topic
Right now is attendance, please believe their out to terminate everyone with attendance issues, (excessive call ins sick) . This to help
Avoid lay offs. And one last thing, stay strong to my fellow Mail handlers across the nation over 300,000 strong
National Mail Handler Postal Union

not to hard to believe the number of postal employees on here complaining, about management, after all overtime has been cut, and management expects them to come to work, or for the rural carriers, complaining they are going through rural mail counts to ensure they are only payed for the mail they are actually delivering, sure sounds like mismangement to me. Off with all postal managers, and supervisors heads!! how dare they expect you to actually work!!

anybody ever stop to consider how quickly the land of the free is changing, I mean think about it we used to be the land of opportunity, now a govement employee must be ont he take, or so sort of scam is going on.

so whats next I know how about we all have one body set up to ensure everyone, (even those who dont work but gripe all day about what some one else has made of themselves) so got of subject lets have this one body set up to ensure we all get the same as our neighbor has that way no one will make more than the next guy, and just to be sure while we are at it lets all line up for our national ID papers..... get the picture yet folks..........

but please keep on complaining about how unfair you are treated by management at the post office, those same mangers, and supervisor who are at work before you arrive and in most cases are still there after you leave. and just so you dont misunderstand they get the same pay if they work 8 hrs or 12 hrs and most work 12 hrs or more. but its alright go ahead and lets here some more about how management is mismanageing by cutting your overtime,

Since when did the USPS get interested in realestate? Perhaps, they can lay off another 3000 employees so they can buy more mansions. What fools! No wonder why the employees go postal!

Did the postal employee make a profit from the purchase by USPS?

Who appointed this Postmaster General – BUSH?

What kind of home does the Postal Manger live in now down there in Texas?

Did bonus money allow this postal worker (executive) to buy a 1.4 Million dollar home?

I think I am due back dollars for the price I paid for stamps since 2001 for this scam!

Who is in charge of regululating this outfit? How will they be held responsible for this oversight?

I am a postal worker and I don't agree with some of the things that happen, but I am tired of the public always ripping up the postal service. Every business raises rates and the postal service is no different. I have worked for the postal service for over ten years and I earn my wage. I work just as hard now as when I did in the private sector and I hate seeing the postal service get a bad rap...We are hard working people just like everyone else. Also, our mail service is the best in the world and all Americans should be proud of that. If you think the rates are to high in the US then go to other countries and buy your stamps, which you will pay much more. The postal service does alot of good and I am proud to work for them. For all you people who criticize the USPS you sure don't mind getting your mail 6-days a week.........

Seeing Postmaster General John Potter dodging Abbie, really makes me mad. Seeing how President Obama is working to make spending transparent, I expect he would not be happy with the Postmasters. The postal service has been raising rates beyond the rate of inflation but are showing amazing losses. Something is VERY wrong there. Much bigger then the house buying problem. There can't be any justification for this "perk". It shocks me even more when it's a voluntary transfer.

Love your looking into USPS......could you include in this piece the bonus's given througout the postal system at a time when it is losing millions of taxpayer dollars.....thank you

First of all, no taxpayer money goes to fund the USPS. They are governed by the Postal Board and directives from Congress, but they generate their own revenues from sales of stamps, mailings, packages. That said, no way should they be spending millions buying houses from relocated employees at any time, no matter what the economy. I have relatives who work for the post office and I guarantee you they do not live in million dollar mansions. USPS management has been bloated for years and needs to be trimmed. In addition, cutting delivery service to 5 days per week would save money because it would eliminate the need for the T-6 position carriers who run routes on the regular carrier's day off; with mail volume dropping, the 6th day of mail could easily be assimilated into the 5 day work week; money for gas to run the vehicles would also be saved by cutting 1 day of the week's deliveries. Since the USPS is obligated to deliver first class mail to any address in the United States for the price of 1 stamp, the cost of the stamp is a bargain. When people say the USPS is a dinosaur because they pay bills and communicate on-line, I can't understand why they would be upset with eliminating 1 delivery day since they evidently don't use the service anyway.

I read almost every comment on this page, and most of what has been said about the usps is true. Supervisors do get more money when they cut workers time, it can become a real conflict of interest, but at the same time you do have workers who r done by say 2:00 but dont clock out of work til four. The problem is there are two many rules and stipulations. If a regular carrier has an easy day where the mail was light he could finish his route early but he is guranteed 8hrs every day if he opted to go home early he would have to use his vacation time he has saved up to make the difference. Now i ask u why would any person want to do that? the worker will just sit at the end of a street read a book and get paid for nothing until its time to go home. No one wants to use vacation time so that they can leave work two hours early they want to save that time for HELLO! VACATION, so we pay for the guy to do nothing who would rather go home early instead of thanking him for not squeezing the PO for unwarrented time.

I work for the post office as a T.E. (transitional employee) it sucks, we are treated like crap. I have been employed by the PO for over three years and have been waiting patiently for a chance to be full time. You see as a te i work anywhere from 38 to 45 hrs a week no days off no sick time and i have to earn my vacation time. The pay is good though but i watch them (management) make dumb decisions day in and day out. Small example since i am considered a part-time worker they can do a lot of things to these types of employees that they can't do to full time, like if i wanted to call out sick one day, instead of not paying me for the day i have to use my vacation time so really they just paid two people for 1 job. There's me sitting at home getting paid and the guy in the office covering for me who is not only getting paid for his day but now probaly gettin overtime for carrying my share. WHY? what's the logic and how bout the fact that you have people who sit at desks all day doing crossword puzzles and every once in a while may answer a phone or two they call that position VOMA i call it BS. unfortunately i run off the almighty $ so im going nowhere until they say differ but its a real shame to see what the PO could be compared to where it will be if they don't start to clean house.

WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO THE STIMULUS CHECKS THAT WE AS THE PEOLE WERE TO RECEIVE? IT WAS DISCUSSED EARLIER DURING OBAMA'S CAMPAIGN, STRATEGIES WERE DISCUSSED, AVERAGES WERE DISCUSSES AS TO WHAT AMOUNT WE WERE TO GET – WHERE IS THE CHECK. I RECENTLY WAS INFORMED THAT A SMALL BUSINESS GOT A CHECK FROM THE GOVERNMENT FOR $211.00, WHEN QUESTIONED WHAT IT WAS FOR, IT WAS THE SMALL BUSINESS CHECK. WHAT A SMALL BUSINESS AND A SINGLE HOUSEHOLD DO WITH A $211.00 STIMULUS CHECK TO HELP INCREASE THEIR BUSINESS. IS THIS WHAT WE VOTED FOR – NO, NO,. NO. SOMEBODY TELL THE PEOPLE WHAT IS GOING ON?

WHERE ARE THE PEOPLE STIMULUS CHECKS. THESE WERE A PART OF OBAMA PROMISE DURING HIS CAMPAIGN. WE VOTED FOR HIM AS THIS BEING A PART OF THE PACKAGAE. THE PEOPLE ARE WAITING AND NEEDED THE CHECKS.

Most companies pay for moving expenses, up to and including purchasing the home for market value, only if the company requires the move. Not just because the employee wants to move.

Granted, there is much financial waste involved with USPS operations, just as there is with many other government agencies I'm sure.

But concerning this specific case, has anyone considered that maybe this postmaster's wife is wealthy and afforded them this home? Or maybe they were able to afford it due to family wealth/inheritance.

It is really none of our business, but as a postal supervisor I can definitely say this postmaster's salary alone did not pay for this home.

Here is link for this home listed with Caldwell for $1.2M. Automatically USPS losses money since realtor fee of $72,000 is subtracted from sales price.

http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/201-N-Dutchman-Creek-Road_Winnsboro_SC_29130_1106638016

Here is the deed to the new Texas address of USPS customer service manager Ronald F Hopson.
http://countyclerkrecords.co.collin.tx.us/webinquiry/LoadImage.aspx?sk=20090223000197480&format=PDF&ref=fbb90d82-8fcb-46d4-8df0-5dc5273e8c5f&pos=

Just another example of corruption at the top. As a long time postal employee I can say that most of the craft employees are hard workers that care about the mail and their customers. As an employee I can also tell of the waste and foolishness of management, or as the union states "Management has a right to mismanage". How about if the home, excuse me, Mansion in question loses money when sold have the owner lose the difference, why give a mansion owner a guaranteed profit ? The USPS is way overstaffed in the management levels, yet most of the blame is directed at craft employees. Craft employees get no bonuses, they will not pay me to relocate or buy my home, yet they do provide continual harassment at the workplace. People complain about long lines at the Post Office window but the supervisors do it on purpose ! Better to have long lines than an idle employee. And Clerks must take their breaks and lunch at a specified time or not at all, regardless of the customer line. Please do not take out your frustration at the Letter Carriers and Clerks, the USPS needs to be fixed from the top.

I retired as a postmaster with the postal service recently and am very angry to read of the 1.2 million dollars spent on the home of the relocated postal employee. The past several years that I worked as a postmaster, I was accountable for every cent that was spent – this meant getting permission to buy each roll of toilet paper or paper towels, and never being allowed to buy a reasonable quantity because that was considered stockpiling. So, valuable time was spent every few months ordered 1 or 2 rolls of toilet paper OR if I didn't have the time to following the timeconsuming ordering procedure, I just brought my own from HOME. I had all extra clerk help cut out this past Christmas which was impossible for one person to handle properly. I am also the janitor, so I have no time to clean and must do it "after hours" without pay. I once claimed 15 min. OT for a computer foulup and was told to never let it happen again. I can remember years ago when I enjoyed going to work, and I really loved my job, but the cuts my post office suffered the past few years were unbearable. I am so blessed and happy to be retired! My husband says I am a "new" woman. From what I have seen in my years with the USPS, there is always money for what the ones in charge want to spend it on. A total overhaul and housecleaning is seriously needed. Accountability should be required and some sort of auditing put in place. I could write a book about the waste and about the needs that are never met.

Post Office Management team starts a stupid contest to save Post Office. Prize must be great due to all the stupid ideas being implemented. Carriers and clerks are not being allowed to play due to fact management says they could never compete on management's level. Carriers and clerks all over nation trying to get permission to play. It's time to start a nationwide plea to allow we carriers and clerks permission to participate in the National Postal Stupid contest.

Ronald F Hopson's wife works so she helped pay for home. Calling all news reporters, find out what she does for a living.
The Hopson deed for their new home in Texas ($400K) http://countyclerkrecords.co.collin.tx.us/webinquiry/LoadImage.aspx?sk=20090223000197480&format=PDF&ref=fbb90d82-8fcb-46d4-8df0-5dc5273e8c5f&pos=

They have now implemented an $800,000 cap, are you kidding?
Why is this not all over the MEDIA and on the NATIONAL NEWS!!!
People need to know about this outrage. No one I spoke to knows anything about this policy at the USPS and that this money is so wasted. People should be OUTRAGED. I guess people don't know how to get MAD enough. Do you know that now there are no more stamp machines in any of the local post offices around here because no one can maintain them. So your forced to wait on-line during business hours while there are two people behind the counter that holds 6 clerk positions and there is a line of customers out the door. The system sucks. It's not the postal workers.

I have been a postal service employee for 28 years. It is a good job, if you can handle being threatened and degraded and treated like a two year old every working day. Management can do and will do whatever they want to make the working employee miserable. They never follow the contract, and have a huge backlog of grievances that they probably end up losing. I had a grievance procedure in the system for 5 years and ended up winning in a pre-arbitration hearing. What a waste of time and money. Postal management wastes more time and money than the Pentagon. It's about time they get called on for their actions. They are offering a early retirement right now for some employees. There is no cash incentive, only penalties for the amount of time you have left to work for a true retirement. My letter says I should retire for the better of the postal service. Maybe I could keep my job and management can buy less houses and less vacations for ther authoritarian postmasters and supervisors.

What sort of relocation benefits does Turner/CNN offer it's employees? As a globally diverse company, I would presume they are good.

How many houses can you buy without money? If you don't have the money, you shouldn't be able to purchase a home. This practice needs to stop. I'm glad others on the blog pointed out that these homes are for upper management only. I'm a carrier and if I want a million dollar home, I better get another job or win the lottery. People don't know how much the PO wastes money. If a person that is not on the overtime lists works overtime, a grievance is filed and all of the people on the overtime list get paid for the hours that the non overtime carrier worked. For some reason this has become policy because it comes from a different account. Money is money and this adds up quickly. I heard once that 1 in 1 hundred people are psychopaths. Think about that.

Great story..........I wanna hear more postal problem. But bottom line how can we fix it? Who gonna monitor postal system, stop the waste and corruption? Did management treat their crafts worker like human? Discrimination? Harassment?..........etc. Miss Abbie Boudreau. You're the first reporter to put my Boss on national news. Thanks you so much.

This is just the tip of the iceberg. USPS also provides mortgages for its "special" executives at very "special" rates. The top brass are nothing but a bunch of crooks.

If money is so tight at the PO, why are they spending $50 million to advertise their sorry priority mail service? Where is Obama when we need him?

There are 16 levels of postal supervison. What do these people contribute to move the mail? I,m sure that job in Texas could have been filled by a qualified person from that area. Let us stop all the relocating and use the employees in those areas for the jobs. We only move the mail. It's not rocket science. My new manager is related to a big shot. She is maybe mid 30's. Has she ever worked a day on the floor. Most people do not know, but most of our mail is sorted from 9:00 pm to 6:00 am. These people are the real workers. Try standing on your feet for 7 hours.

the problem with the media is they only tell half truths. The 2.8 million dollar home was built by that employees own hands. He is not a bad man and works very hard. He is an excellent employee and worked hard to build that house. Not many people would work hard all day and then go home and work hard to build their new house!

I am a USPS employee and it should be noted that I have never heard of the workers who actually handle the mail i.e., clerks, mailhandlers, and letter carriers receive compensation for transferring. We do not get perks. That priviledge is for management only!!! If one was to interview one of us who actually move the mail, our reaction to this would be the same as the general populous. Our jobs are being threatened everday and finally the truth comes out, thank you Heavenly Father!!!! Ditto to the comments about how much money mangagement costs the PO because they refuse to adhere to the Union Contract. A report should be done on how much money the PO spends on these automated machines that never work like they are supposed to, especially the flat machines that tear up magazines and newspapers. At the particular installation where I work, management is trying to excessing hundreds of employees to other locations (employees that our installation cannot afford to lose because I work in one of the nation's largest cities). These employees will not have a choice of where they are going and trust me will not be paid any compsensation for excessing them. If they refuse the job, which could be in another state, they will be terminated. I have been praying for this moment. It is so unfair to these employees who have lived in this city virtually all their lives and will have to relocate and leave their families just to save their jobs.

If you can read this article and not flip completely out....then you don't understand .. In debt...loosing money...raising rates, and buying million dollar houses...what the heck is going on ? How can these people sleep at night ? I'll use the phone...email even a carrier pigeon....anything to keep from buying a stamp.

It was interesting reading these posts clear back to March. I have no comment concerning the multi-million dollar home, as some of the posts appear to have clarified the process.

However, with over 25 yrs USPS time behind me, I do concur with many of the views presented by postal employees. My postal career ranged from LSM & manual clerk on swings at a P&DC to window clerk in suburbia to a manager in human resources.

I've experienced several re-orgs, and early outs aimed at clearing out the dead wood (as we called it) at the top but unfortunately it backfired and we lost many good craft employees (hundreds of years of experience out the door). I've seen HQ roll out new programs without pilot programs and expected the field to utilize these new apps as soon as yesterday.... Frustrating to say the least!

In my HR position at a Division, I've seen more than my share of management incompetence, good 'ol boys mentality, managing by intimidation and harassment of employees on many levels.

I've seen union stewards file frivolous grievances and i've seen managment blatantly violate contractual agreements.

As a former window clerk, my postmaster insinuated that I was lying when I filed for OWCP for tendonitis. I was crushed when I read his letter to Division's Injury Comp office. He stated that I developed this condition from "off-the-clock activities". Excuse me?!?! He had me throwing flats 8 hrs a day for days on end. This could have been avoided had he done the smart thing and rotated his clerks to different duties throughout the day. But nooooooo....

So, as I climb down off this soapbox, I applaud postal workers everywhere... clerks, carriers, mailhanders... you rock...

Of course, you're always going to have the employees that do nothing but warm the stools and BS all day and watch the clock....

Likewise, there's always going to be supervisors and managers who just don't get it.... There's a thing called mutual respect...and trusting your crew... and people do not like being micro-managed.

But hey, you know what?!? What's happening now with the postal service is no different than what's been going on over and over again for decades...

Who is John Galt?

Just retired on the early out – no penalty as for once things went my way instead of the usually abysmal south way most boomers get it, and I was lucky to already be 55, so no penalty in my retirement pay. Amazing! It is one of the happiest times of my life, and my health has already improved in one month, and I feel more rested, calm, and have an overall sense of well-being that I can't recall in years. Do I intend to volunteer, work part/full time anywhere else? Not on your life if I can avoid it! Volunteer organizations, like government, let the truly deserving fall through the cracks, hence my disinterest. I'll do what I enjoy and if I can personally help someone along the way and it fits my ideology, I'll throw myself into it. If you can't afford to retire – consider moving in with relatives like previous generations – I was asked to due to a sudden death. Then you can retire and live better than ever! It's the only way to get ahead in the faltering economy full of nothing but uncertainty.

Why is there Not investigation on the Work Conditions of the Post office. With Current trends I believe the PO will never hire but fill
Work with TE's. (At least tey can say they are hirring)

In the Post office it's Not "What you know, but Who you Know" I am a "Transional Employee." 3 years Casual & Now on 2nd contract. I work 6 days week as tool for Supervisors. "Be lucky you have a job." They Say.... Yet I Twist ankle or Don't answer PHONE We'll Fire you.

I have 2 weeks Vacation time that SUP. will never give Spot leave...
I get the Look from Mngt. When I bring form for off or Doc. appt.
I can't make Grevinces for everything they force me to do, because it will effect my chances down the Road. They Take ADVANTAGE OF US. "Because it is there Management Right... We won't say anything..
Now USPS will not give anyone chance to take postal exam. (no hiring PTF"S) I get ignored on saftey issues, & intimdated to do things fast. Is this paying my Dues or a postal Brotherhood Test.

Now I know why the 204 B has force the Unsafe.... Higer-up bonus.
We are Nothing to Them, just like the Saftey team pretends to listen.
"So, your Tired, 54 hour week , one hour PIVOT Per day, we did that."
Investigation 60 minutes that Post office TE Carrier
Needs to Be # One Worst Temp Job in the World.
Just Fire them get new person....... OBama When Will it end????
I Guess in the End I will get Cut like the other Postal Temps.
I Guess I will stick it out to get my 8 months of unemployment...

disgraceful. please ;someone stop this waste of money
and no we don t need delivery 6 days a week
ITS ALL JUNK MAIL 80%

I am an employee for this place .... and it SUCKS and now this mess knowing the mansion is being purchased by post office... UGH.. now I am looking for a job to leave post office in disgust!

The operative statement in this article is that the relocation was "voluntary". This was not an issue of excessing or any other form of "lay off". This was not a mandate or in any way forced upon the employee in question.

That million dollar home was build with his own two hands. He has worked hard to get what he has, including serving in the miltary. I don't see very many people running out to join the miltary and then working their butts off to get ahead.

This man is someones son, father, brother...leave him alone and worry about your own problems!