Postal Service Could Close Auburntown Office

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WASHINGTON — As more customers choose to conduct their postal business online, on their smart phones and at their favorite shopping destinations, the need for the U.S. Postal Service to maintain its nearly 32,000 retail offices — the largest retail network in the country — diminishes. To that end, the U.S. Postal Service announced today that it will be taking the next step in right-sizing its expansive retail network by conducting studies of approximately 3,700 retail offices to determine customer needs. As part of this effort, the Postal Service also introduced a retail-replacement option for affected communities around the nation. “Today, more than 35 percent of the Postal Service’s retail revenue comes from expanded access locations such as grocery stores, drug stores, office supply stores, retail chains, self-service kiosks, ATMs and usps.com, open 24/7,” said Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe. “Our customer’s habits have made it clear that they no longer require a physical post office to conduct most of their postal business.” For communities currently without a postal retail office and for communities affected by these retail optimization efforts, the Postal Service introduced the Village Post Office as a potential replacement option. Village Post Offices would be operated by local businesses, such as pharmacies, grocery stores and other appropriate retailers, and would offer popular postal products and services such as stamps and flat-rate packaging. “By working with third-party retailers, we’re creating easier, more convenient access to our products and services when and where our customers want them,” Donahoe said. “The Village Post Office will offer another way for us to meet our customers’ needs.” With 32,000 postal retail offices and more than 70,000 third-party retailers — Approved Postal Providers — selling postage stamps and providing expanded access to other postal products and services, customers today have about 100,000 locations across the nation where they can do business with the Postal Service. “The Postal Service of the future will be smaller, leaner and more competitive and it will continue to drive commerce, serve communities and deliver value,” Donahoe added. The list of offices being studied and additional information, including video, audio soundbites, b-roll and JPEGs, can be found at http://about.usps.com/news/electronic-press-kits/expandedaccess/welcome.htm. The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses, and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.
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July 26, 2011 at 9:18pm
Closing Auburntown Post Office would be a GREAT DISSERVICE to the Auburntown Community. People would have to drive almost 20 miles in any direction to reach a Post Office. What about the people who use the Post Office Boxes to receive their daily mail? Surely, there are other options than making such an inconvience for the citizens of this rural area. I think cutting out Saturday mail delivery and maybe Wednesday mail delivery would be a much better solution.
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July 27, 2011 at 6:27am
I agree it would be bad if the Auburntown post-office were to close. However, I did read where if they closed the post office in an area that there would still be somewhere designated for mail pick up.

From what the article said, it would be something combined with a store or bank or a business. I guess kind of like the old grocery store / post office all rolled into one.

I also read every time gas goes up 1 cent that it cost the post-office department $8 million dollars. They are not government funded and actually have to live within a budget.

The one branch of government that actually has to live within their means.

That's a novel idea!
July 27, 2011 at 9:03am
The post office in Milton is also on the list is there still a branch in Bradyville? If so it should be on the list also!Salary of the Postmaster and cost of maintaining the building and I bet they won't generate $50.00 a week in revenue!LOL!
July 27, 2011 at 9:29am
From what I've read, I think Corey is on the right track. Believe me, we live in the "postal world" and it's not all what they put on the media. The postal magazines are just a little bit different (haha)than what they put on the news.
July 27, 2011 at 3:34pm
lucydog, this is just the first list. the offices that made this list have no routes that come out of them. the carrier(s) that deliver that mail are from other offices. a carrier from watertown delivers auburntowns mail. same for milton, one comes from lascassas. you cant keep paying a "postmaster" $80,000 or so a year and rent on the building if the office doesn't bring that revenue in.
August 06, 2011 at 8:51pm
Maybe the Postal Department could search the higher levels in the organizatio to look for sizable cuts and money saving opportunities.Seems to me that some trimming should begin from the top down.
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