By John Harlow – Contributing Writer
FORK—In compliance with postal service rules for closing a post office, postal officials held a community meeting with Fork postal customers on Thursday night to explain the closing process and receive community input. The meeting began at 6:00 p.m., at the Fork Baptist Church and was opened by Mr. Bryan Cramer, District Discontinuance Coordinator for the postal service. Also attending and representing the postal service were Mr. Terry Housley, Manager for Post Office Operations, Charleston, along with local representatives of the Fork, Lake View, Latta, and Mullins post offices all seated at the head table. Two Fork rural mail carriers were in the audience of the 80 persons attending the meeting. The only political representative of the people attending was State Representative Jackie Hayes.
Mr. Cramer gave a PowerPoint presentation going over the process for studying a post office and subsequently making a recommendation to the Postal Regulatory Commission whether to close it. The presentation included cost factors driving the process including that post offices across the country lost $3.1 billion between April and June of 2011. Affecting such losses are reduced mail volume caused by email, texting, and competing delivery companies, i.e., UPS and FEDEX. Mr. Cramer talked specifically about expenses associated with the Fork post office including the $4,200 annual cost of the building lease and that only 55 of the 125 post office boxes are currently rented. Further, the cost of the post master and a part time assistant was mentioned. Mr. Cramer said that should the post office be closed that Fork postal customers could use a number of alternate accesses for mail services, i.e., stamps online, or by mail. He also used the
term ‘Post Office on Wheels’ to describe rural carriers who sell stamps, money orders, accept packages, and provide other mail services. Mr. Cramer also said that area drug stores, supermarkets, and some other business places identified as ‘stamp consignment locations’ sell stamps. He further explained that the postal service could enter into agreement with another business in Fork and create a ‘village post office’ inside that business. He said that these were all options that could be considered should the decision be made to close the Fork post office. He did say that Fork postal customers would keep their current zip code. In closing his presentation, Mr. Cramer made it clear that any final decision to close the post office is made by the Postal Regulatory Commission and that the time line is approximately 9 months from initiating a discontinuance feasibility study of a particular post office. Fork could close as soon as this spring.
A number of persons asked questions at the meeting. Representative Jackie Hayes wanted to know more about the Postal Regulatory Commission and specifically who comprises the commission and how are they selected. Gail Rogers holds POB 1 at Fork and she expressed concern about security and safety about leaving money in route boxes for stamps or money orders. She said that the Fork community had established a Neighborhood Watch program because of area crime and to now put money into route boxes was just not a good idea. A number of other persons voiced concerns about security at route boxes for mail. Libby Allen, the rural carrier assistant for Fork, commented that the Fork post office is so very special to the people of Fork. She said that it’s more than just a post office, but also a community gathering place that bonds the community. Fork resident John Harlow read a letter from his 10 year old granddaughter, Grace Harlow, who talked
about visiting her grandparents in Fork and going to the post office for the mail and, when she was younger, sometimes getting a balloon from the postmaster. She expressed her concern about mail between her and her grandparents should the Fork post office close.
The meeting ended shortly after 7:00 p.m. Both Mr. Cramer and Mr. Housley were interviewed afterwards and Mr. Cramer said that the strong turnout by the Fork community was impressive and very positive. Mr. Housley said that he has been to 7 or 8 similar meetings recently and that tonight’s turnout was the most people he has seen at a meeting. Persons wanting to comment about the Fork post office can write to the following:
The Post Office
Attn: Mr. Bryan Cramer,
District Discontinuance
Coordinator
2001 Dixiana Road
West Columbia SC
29172-9998
Phone #803.926.6280