Federal Government

A US Postal Service official will visit Douglas tomorrow (Wednesday) to hear from residents about the possible shuttering of their post office.

The Douglas branch is among thousands nationwide being considered for closure by the financially struggling agency. The unnamed official from the postal service’s Anchorage District Office will be at the Mt. Jumbo Gym Wednesday from 7 to 9 pm. Douglas Resident Susanne Williams hopes for a good turnout.

“It’s part of our identity – 99824,” Williams says. “And if it closes, what do we do then? We go to street delivery. But then for special needs, if you’re a senior, or if you do not have a car, it takes half a day. You either got to spend all morning getting over the federal building and back again, or you got to spend all afternoon.”

Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe warned Congress Tuesday that the Postal Service could lose 10-billion dollars in the fiscal year that ends this month. That puts the agency in danger of defaulting as it reaches its borrowing limit.

Donahoe is asking Congress to let it break union contracts to fire employees, change retiree health benefits, and end mail delivery on Saturdays.

He testified before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, where Alaska Senator Mark Begich questioned how the plan to cut Saturday service would affect small businesses.

Donahoe says of all the possible places to cut, Saturday service makes the most sense. But he clarified that the change would only affect shipping and delivery of packages.

“Generally the volume is about 10-15 percent lower on Saturday than the rest of the week. We will keep post offices open on Saturdays. So people would have access to our 30,000 plus post offices,” Donahoe said.

“For shipping packages and so forth for small businesses?” Senator Begich asked.

“Right,” replied Donahoe. “We’d be able to provide that service. Now we will not be running outgoing mail that night, that would be Monday, but they would have access to our services.”

Begich’s office says the Congressional delegation is still awaiting a list of which post offices on the list for possible closure will be spared. The list was expected more than a week ago, but was delayed due to Hurricane Irene.

Douglas Post Office customers are being asked what postal services they use at the island store and how often.

The U.S. Postal Service has sent out a survey to help gauge the importance of small post offices across the country.

While the Postal Service had targeted 36 in Alaska for closure, Alaska district officials announced on Monday that 25 remote stations will remain open. Eleven are still being reviewed, including Douglas.

Letters and surveys went out to Douglas customers on Monday. The letter says their input – from the survey and a public meeting — will be considered in the final decision. The survey deadline is September 11. The letter lists no date for the meeting.

The survey asks how often people buy stamps, mail letters or packages and use other postal services at the Douglas Third Street station, versus online or at other Juneau outlets. It also asks if the post office assists senior citizens or people with disabilities, if it’s a school bus stop, a public bulletin board, or a community gathering place.

While those types of activities separate many small rural from more urban post offices, workload is the key. The letter says mail volume and revenue at the Douglas station have steadily declined over recent years. If Douglas is closed, customers would use the Federal Station on Ninth Street in Juneau, 2 point 7 miles away; or the Mendenhall station, 11 miles away.

The Postal Service has recommended closing 3,700 post offices nationwide.

The U.S. Postal Service says 25 rural Alaska post offices will remain open after all.

Douglas is not on that list, according to Senator Mark Begich’s office.

USPS Alaska District Manager Diane Horbuchuk says 25 post offices off the road system are in the clear. The agency last month targeted 3,700 post offices nationwide for possible closure, as a way to reduce costs and expenses. Thirty-six were in Alaska.

Begich arranged a meeting Monday so rural health care providers and other community groups could give postal service officials more information on the impact to rural communities. Horbuchuk announced the agency had already made the decision to spare Alaska’s most remote post offices.

Horbuchuk said those communities will receive letters to that effect this week.

She said the review of the remaining 11 sites, including Douglas, should be completed by the end of the week.