As if the proposed closure of Bluefield’s Processing and Distribution Center wasn’t bad enough, it now looks like the U.S. Postal Service could be planning to close several rural post offices in the region.
According to U.S. Rep. Nick Rahall, D-W.Va., the postal service has initiated the first step in a process that could lead to the closure of existing post offices in Jenkinjones, Eckman, Elkhorn and Hensley in McDowell County and the Breaks, Va., community in Buchanan County.
Rahall said postal officials have launched a discontinuance study for each facility.
The U.S. Postal Service performs discontinuance studies prior to a proposed closure of a post office. Once such a closure is proposed, the postal service must notify all impacted citizens and hold a 60-day comment period. Should the postal service determine to close a post office, local residents have 30 days to appeal the decision to the U.S. Postal Regulatory Commission.
Postal officials have targeted 18 post offices in southern West Virginia alone for such discontinuance studies, according to Rahall.
“It is deeply disturbing to see so many discontinuance studies occurring at once, Rahall said last week. “Of the 27 discontinuance studies under way in West Virginia, two-thirds are happening in the southern counties.”
Public hearings have already been scheduled by the postal service for the impacted communities.
A public hearing for the Eckman Post Office will be held at the Elizabeth Drewery Community Room on April 5 at 6 p.m. The Breaks Community Center will host the hearing for the Breaks, Va. Post Office from 5 to 6 p.m. on April 6. A hearing for the Elkhorn Post Office is scheduled to be held at the Old Elkhorn School at 6 p.m. on April 7. A meeting concerning the Jenkinjones Post Office will be held at the Jenkinjones Methodist Church on April 11 at 6 p.m. The Roderfield Fire Department will be the site of the scheduled hearing for the Hensley Post Office at 6 p.m. on April 12.
The latest proposed closures by the postal service are troubling. Many senior citizens in these small rural communities are dependent upon having a local post office to send and receive mail, packages and to purchase money orders.
Given the unfair number of facilities in southern West Virginia now targeted for closure and/or consolidation by the postal service, public input will be necessary if we are to save any or all of our local facilities. A post office is essentially a lifeline to the outside world for many living in the small communities.
We would urge all concerned citizens to attend the upcoming public hearings. Speak up now or risk losing your post office tomorrow.
Editorials
March 31, 2011
Mail delivery: More facilities on the chopping block
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