Upcoming Post Office Meetings

The U.S. Postal Service's newest cost reduction strategy, referred to as the Post Office Structure (POSt) Plan, averts the closure of many southern West Virginia post offices.  However, it also proposes to reduce window hours, which is obviously an issue of tremendous concern for many West Virginians, including myself.

I share the frustration of many West Virginians who believe that the Postal Service is intent upon achieving cost savings through service reductions at rural postal facilities.  I continue to fight these efforts and have communicated my concern repeatedly to both the Postal Service and the Postal Regulatory Commission.  In addition, I am a cosponsor of H.R. 1351, the U.S. Postal Service Pension Obligation Recalculation and Restoration Act, which would help to restore the Postal Service’s financial standing without jeopardizing six-day mail delivery service or requiring mass layoffs and facility closures. 

For each post office impacted by the POStPlan, I have been informed that the Postal Service intends to seek public input by mailing surveys to affected communities and hosting a public meeting.  The Postal Service wants to know what hours of operation the community prefers and whether alternatives to reduced window hours -- including roadside delivery, the opening of a contractor-operated facility, or post office box service at a neighboring post office -- may be considered.  

You can find a listing of the public meetings scheduled thus far at http://about.usps.com/news/electronic-press-kits/our-future-network/post-plan.htm.