Brian Shepardson, Manager of Post Office Operations in Albany, visited the Woodgate Post Office today to hear the concerns of postal customers regarding the proposed closing of their facility.
Over 100 postal patrons, along with area elected officials, turned out in support of keeping the 135-year-old post office in operation.
Among the officials in attendance were Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente, Oneida County Legislator Les Porter, Town of Forestport Supervisor William Hasenauer, and Town of Forestport Council-men Bill Karn and Bob Seager.
Also in attendance was Town of Forestport Deputy Supervisor John Isley who said postal customers presented their concerns in a civil manner and delivered strong facts in support of those concerns.
According to Isley, the Woodgate Post Office has over 200 year-round box holders, but in the summer, service expands greatly to accommodate seasonal residents and three youth camps:
Camp Russell Boy Scout Camp, Catholic Charities’ Camp Nazareth, and the Masonic Home’s Camp Turk.
Isley said of the utmost concern was that the postal survey and notice of today’s meeting that were received by Woodgate-area box holders on May 5, were not directed to seasonal residents or the three camps, therefore leaving them out of the discussion. (However, Isley said representatives from the Masonic Home were present.)
The historical significance of the post office was discussed, as was the loss of community identity without zip code 13494.
Hardship in traveling the distance to the next postal facility in Forestport—for some a 24-mile trip—was also discussed.
Isley said some of the most noteworthy testimony came from a senior citizen who said he receives his prescription drugs at his Woodgate post office.
“He said he could not have those types of medication sitting in a rural mailbox, but that would be the only way he could receive them if the post office was to close,” Isley said.
And then there are the high costs related to rural delivery.
Isley estimates that based on the IRS rate of 52¢ per mile, it would cost the Forestport Post Office $468 a day to provide home delivery to postal patrons in Woodgate.
Once the gathered information from today’s meeting is compiled, it will be sent to Washington, DC for overall review.
Isley said within 60 days, they should have some answers on the fate of the Woodgate Post Office.
“After 60 days they will either make a determination to continue public comment and surveying, make a recommendation to remove it from the closure list, or they could determine to close operations.
If they do decide to close, postal users can opt to go through a 60 day appeal process,” Isley said.
