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Vendor pitches mail consolidation that could cut county postage, commissioners ask for analysis
Summary
Midwest Presort presented a mail presort/consolidation service that it said could cut county postage and related costs by about 15% and potentially save roughly $4,000–$5,000 per month; commissioners asked for a department‑level analysis and finance details before any decision.
Midwest Presort representative Kirk (speaker 7) presented a proposal Dec. 1 to consolidate Morgan County postage and metering, saying the program could reduce postage and related hardware and labor costs.
Kirk said counties that outsource metering and use consolidators often reduce postage rates and eliminate meter lease and maintenance expenses. "County government, you're gonna save roughly about 15% of your postage cost," he said, and projected that including hardware and labor savings the county could see "somewhere around $5,000 a month" in total savings.
Kirk explained the vendor's typical financial model: the vendor requests a postage deposit (about two months’ average spend), processes and invoices monthly, and receives reimbursement based on daily volume. He also described a nonprofit mail option for voter‑notification mailings that could reduce postcard rates from roughly 61¢ to about 16¢ per piece if the clerk’s office is registered for nonprofit rates.
Commissioners raised several operational questions: how to centralize postage spending away from individual elected officials' budgets, which departments produce the most daily mail (the clerk's office was highlighted), and how to handle specialized mail such as certified mail. Commissioners also discussed the possible impact of state legislation (SB1) on mailing volumes and the importance of getting buy‑in from department heads.
Kirk recommended a follow‑up analysis involving the treasurer and clerk to model actual county volumes and invoice flows before any procurement decision. The board did not take an action to contract or pilot the service during the meeting.
