Thursday, June 30, 2011

Retirements and resignations of postmasters put rural post offices at or near top of target list

No postmaster, declining usage, and an out-dated and unsafe facility were reasons postal officials gave Minerva, Ky., residents for the possible closure or consolidation of their post office, Marla Toncray of The Ledger Independent in Maysville reports. The overarching reason appeared to be the missing postmaster.

Bob Redden, district representative in Cincinnati for the U.S. Postal Service, "said time and again it is locations around the country currently without 'sitting' postmasters that are being reviewed for closure," Toncray reports. "The Postmaster General has imposed a hiring freeze to replace retiring postmasters over the last year and half."

When Redden suggested a rural carrier as an alternative to a physical post office, residents raised concerns about medicine delivery without a secure post office box and the safety of senior citizens travelling 20 to 30 miles to receive mail at another post office, Toncray reports. (Read more)

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