TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) – The new top leader of the USPS’s capital office was sworn in Thursday.
Vanessa Cobb of Tallahassee was sworn in as the branch’s new Postmaster General in a ceremony that included a flag guard, oath of allegiance and invocation.
Several speakers praised her work ethic and dedication, including her sister, who joked that Cobbs sometimes loved the post office more than her.
Last week, the USPS announced that Cobbs is its new top executive, becoming Tallahassee’s 33rd postmaster general. In her role, she will oversee 372 employees covering 15 ZIP codes and 139,828 delivery points throughout the capital city, according to a USPS press release.
“When I get home, not only do I leave the post office, I have to talk about it all night,” Cobb joked.
The Florida State University graduate began her career with the Tallahassee Postal Service in 1998 and rose from letter carrier to the top position.
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The announcement of Cobb’s new role came after it was revealed in April that the USPS’s Tallahassee office did not have a postmaster to oversee operations.
USPS has received many complaints from residents about delivery service issues in and around Leon County. These complaints led Tallahassee’s local Congressman Neal Dunn and Leon County Commissioner Brian Welch to jointly investigate the issues.
Now that Cobb has taken over this role, Leon County residents will wait and see if services have improved.
Dunn, who called for a federal investigation, spoke at Cobb’s swearing-in ceremony on Thursday.
“(The post office) connects the country,” Dunn said. “And I think they found the right woman. So I wish her the best.”
The investigation requested by Dunn was finally conducted and investigators discovered several problems. These problems include:
- Too few staff at peak times
- Emails often arrived late or remained on the machines
- Employees did not always adhere to the enrollment rules
- Sometimes devices blocked doors and control panels
Cobb did not directly address the investigation in her remarks, but only alluded to “problems” the postal service has had in the past. She remained optimistic, even introducing some of her executives and listing which zip codes they cover.
WCTV requested some time with Cobb after the swearing-in so we could ask her some questions. A USPS spokesperson said Cobb would be available to the media on Thursday, but officials on the scene said she was not answering questions.
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