It's time to sort out his future

0 Comments | La Crosse Tribune, MAy 24, 2001 | by Cahalan, Steve

He doesn't officially retire from the agency until May 31, but Wednesday was John Sandry's last day as La Crosse postmaster.

Sandry is retiring from the U.S. Postal Service after 16 years. He began in 1985 as a distribution clerk at the post office in Mankato, Minn., and came to La Crosse from Minneapolis in 1993 as manager of mail processing. He was named acting La Crosse postmaster in May 1995 and became postmaster in May 1996.

Before joining the Postal Service, Sandry spent 20 years in the Navy. He was raised in Lansing, Iowa, and said he and his wife, Joyce, will continue to live in the town of Shelby.

"I've loved the job," Sandry said in an interview in his office. "I've enjoyed getting the post office involved in the community" by participating in ceiebrations and other activities. In 1999, the postal service gave him The Benjamin award, a glass statue that honored his work in the community and helping to create a positive image for the post office.

"I'm 55, and I've been with the government for 36 years," Sandry said. He plans to look for a fulltime job in the private sector, though he added, "I've never worked for a company that's in business to make money."

The Postal Service does not receive tax money for its operations and is expected to break even over time.

Mike Wolf has been named acting postmaster. Sandry said he thinks the agency will start accepting applications for postmaster in a few weeks and said the job should be filled this year.

As La Crosse postmaster, Sandry has been responsible for more than 200 employees. The La Crosse post office is responsible for processing all incoming and outgoing mail for La Crosse and 54 associate offices in the 546 ZIP code area.

Sandry said the La Crosse post office processes about 147 million pieces of mail per year. The figure has been increasing 4 percent to 4.5 percent per year, he said.

The Postal Service is projecting up to $5 billion in losses over the next two years, even after raising the price of a first-class stamp by a penny, to 34 cents in January. Rates on most other classes of mail, including postcards and advertising, go up on July 1.

Postal officials recently suggested eliminating Saturday mail delivery as a way to save money, but the proposal drew criticism in Congress and elsewhere.

"I don't think it will ever happen," Sandry said of eliminating Saturday mail delivery. "I think it would be too political. It caused quite a stir in Congress." He added it wouldn't bother him if mail was not delivered to his home on Saturdays.

Sandry said the biggest change he has seen in his years with the Postal Service is automation. "We've gone from an entirely manual mail-processing operation to an almost entirely automated processing operation," he said.

"I love the community, we've had good employees, and it's been fun," Sandry said of his years as postmaster.