|
POStplan changes approaching quickly for local communities
By Ryan Clay
• Concern is growing over the budget-slashing POStplan and the potential effects it could have on rural communities in North and South Dakota as thousands of post offices nationwide are targeted for reduced hours or closure.
• With the implementation of the POStplan set to begin in a few short months, concerned citizens will finally have a chance to have their say about the effects that the budget cuts will have on their communities. Public meetings will be held at offices facing the prospect of reducing their hours or having to close their doors, so that affected community members can vote, through surveys, on what will happen to their post office.
• Fear of Loss of Service
• Despite the USPS' decision to encourage reducing hours instead of closure for post offices affected by POStplan, many worry that the cuts will still negatively impact the quality of service they receive. Ranging from inconveniences like having to work a busy schedule around the few hours the post office is open, or having mail and newspapers come a few days later, to major issues like delaying access to important supplies for farms and local businesses, the potential problems that the cuts could cause are numerous and far-reaching. Even losing home mailbox service altogether is a possibility if a post office closes completely.
• The USPS has released information about the upcoming meetings and possible options for communities to try to lay these fears to rest. Survey letters to patrons in affected areas, sent out last month, explain the options that they can choose for their community, such as reducing window hours, or closing the window while maintaining the office and mailbox delivery service. The letter also states that it takes a vote of more than 60 percent from a community before a post office will close down.
|
|
