Meeting held: Postal reps announce plan for Woodgate Post Office hours

Representatives of the United States Postal Service met with Woodgate postal customers at the post office on Wednesday, October 10 and announced that the office will remain open, but with reduced hours of four per day.

The announcement followed the review of 118 completed surveys by postal customers of which 93 percent expressed a preference of keeping their post office open.

Postal representative Michelle Kruhl told the crowd of 40 that window hours will be from 8 a.m. to noon Monday through Friday and 8 to 10:30 a.m. on Saturday.

A proposal to keep the lobby open 24 hours a day will be executed following a security check of the facility.

If the lobby is open longer hours to accommodate working residents, an idea to promote a money enhancement for the office by advertising postal box rentals was presented.

The Postal Service will also install parcel boxes in the office for patrons to receive packages when the window is closed. A key will be placed in a postal customer’s mailbox indicating the need for a package pickup.The POSTPLAN implementation with reduced hours is expected to be in place by November 17. The plan will be placed on hold during the Christmas season and resume in January 2013.

During the 90-minute session, a number of questions were asked by the audience including the possibility of longer window hours during the summer months and future Christmas holiday seasons, and a possible change in the announced Saturday hours.

Residents expressed their concern for future changes or adjustments to the POSTPLAN and made it clear that they wanted their post office, and to be spared any surprise adjustments to the plan.

Kruhl said that the activities of the Woodgate community played an important role in saving rural post offices and in coming up with alternative plans to thwart closings. She said she would take their requests back with her for review.

Postal representatives will be holding meetings similar to the one held in Woodgate in over 2,000 communities nationwide through October 18.

Share Button