USPS Board of Governors Takes Some Heat

According to an entry on the Association for Postal Commerce website, the Postalnews Blog has reported that, "The Senate last week confirmed the appointment of Dennis J. Toner, of Delaware, to be a Governor of the United States Postal Service for the remainder of the term expiring December 8, 2012. Toner’s main qualification for the job of overseeing the USPS is apparently his former job as deputy chief of staff for Joe Biden."

It goes on to say, "Toner won’t be the only Governor with no obvious postal or business expertise- he joins fellow governors Mickey Barnett and Ellen Williams, both GOP lobbyists, and James H. Bilbray, a former Nevada Congressman and associate of Harry Reid."

One of the editors at the Association writes as a postscript, "There are days you've just got to wonder . . . . Why in blazes do we have a Board of Governors anyway? They never learn anything about postal. They fail to hold postal management accountable. Their policies, if the exigent case is an example, are off-base. And they know little about how the Postal Service could better market and grow its business. They can't seem to master opening up their public meetings via webcasting. They never open up themselves at public meetings to public input. So, why are we paying them $30,000 a year?"

It should be noted that each Governor receives $300 per day for not more than 42 days of meetings each year and travel expenses, in addition to an annual salary of $30,000 according to the USPS.

Shown above, USPS Board of Governors. Standing form left: Mickey D. Barnett, James C. Miller III, Alan C. Kessler, Louis J. Giuliano, Carolyn Lewis Gallagher. Seated from left: James H. Bilbray, Katherine C. Tobin, Ellen C. Williams.

For more on the USPS Board of Governors, click here.