http://ozarkspub.vo.llnwd.net/o37/KSMU/audio/mp3/springfield-s-postmaster-now-official_55028.mp3
Jeff Drake was sworn in Friday as the new postmaster for the U.S. Postal Service in Springfield. Formal Postmaster Bill Brayman announced his retirement in July. KSMU’s Shannon Bowers has more.
Drake’s new responsibility is serving over 100,000 Springfield residents. Postmasters are in charge of organizing all mail delivery with their carriers and mail distribution in the plant for their city.
While Drake has been postmaster since October, He is happy to be officially sworn in, as it is a tradition.
“A process we have been doing since Benjamin Franklin who was the first post master general. Someone swears you in when you become postmaster of a city,” said Drake.
His appointment in Springfield comes at a critical time for the U.S. Postal Service, who announced this month plans to stop mail service on Saturdays, beginning in August, in an attempt to cut costs. Drake had no comment regarding the plan’s possible impact locally.
He began his career with the Postal Service in 1996 in Fort Worth, Texas as a flat sorter clerk, where he would sort magazines. He worked his way up to be a city letter carrier, and then a station manager. Most recently he worked Midland Texas as their Postmaster.
Drake will be in charge of more than 400 postal service employees.
For KSMU news, I’m Shannon Bowers