DECATUR — The United States Postal Service is considering reducing hours the Decatur Post Office is open, Fayetteville Postmaster Jeffrey Coffey told Decatur residents at a town hall meeting on Oct. 21.

Sixteen people, including current and retired postal employees, attended the meeting, held in the Decatur Community Room.

The USPS mailed 1,199 customer surveys last month askingfor community input to help determine the Decatur Post Office’s future.

The surveys gave four options including reducing hours, offering only roadside mailbox delivery, offering a “Village Post Office” kept open by a local business or private contractor or closing the Decatur Post Office and moving service to a nearby Post Office.

Coffey shared the survey results at the Decatur meeting. Of the 1,199 original surveys, 229 were returned. Of those 204 - or 89 percent - were in favor of keeping the Decatur Post Office open with reduced hours.

Coffey emphasized that the survey results did not mean a final decision had been made.

“I know from talking to a few of you, that you would like to keep things like they are,” Coffeysaid, “Unfortunately, that’s not possible because of the financial situation.”

The USPS initially thought about closing about 40 local Post Offices but decided to consider reducing hours instead.

“If there is a positive you can see, you’ll still have a post office,” Coffey said.

The Decatur Post Office is one of 400 in Arkansas - including the Hiwasse, Maysville and Sulphur Springs Post Offices - that are being considered for reduced hours, according to the USPS website.

Under the proposed schedule change, the Decatur Post Office would be open from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m., Monday through Friday and keep its current Saturday hours of 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., Coffey said.

Decatur Mayor Charles Linamasked Coffey why the USPS did not just close all Post Offices on Saturdays. Coffey explained that the change would require legislation to pass which so far has been unsuccessful.

“It literally takes an act of Congress, and that hasn’t happened,” he said.

Decatur business owner Robert Mammens said he has astrong desire to see the Decatur Post Office stay open. Mammens said that last month his business did about $1,500 in sales on eBay, $250 of which was shipping charges that went to the USPS.

Mammens also asked, if the Decatur Post Office hasrealigned hours, that it provide a larger mail receptacle for shipping packages.

Coffey said that as more and more letters are sent electronically, shipping and online sales have become the Postal Service’s bread and butter. He also said if the Decatur Postal Service sales go up, there is a possibility it could be given full-time hours again.

Leonard Truitt, who served as postmaster of the Decatur Post Office from 1954 to 1980, suggested the Decatur Post Office be opened at 8 a.m. - an hour earlier than proposed - for those who like to get their mail early in the morning. He suggested closing the office for the postmaster’s break from 11 a.m. until noon and then reopening from noon until 3 p.m. for working people who like to do their business at the post office over their lunch hour. Truitt’s suggestion was met with nods and murmurs of approval.

Retired Decatur Postmaster Pat Austin asked if Decatur would still have a full-time postmaster. Coffey replied that the job title would probably be changed to “Postmaster Relief Executive.” It would remain a full-time position, but the person would probably have other duties elsewhere to fill up his or her additional work hours. The Postal Service has never laid anyone off so far, but structural changes may have to be made, he said.

Rita Haismen asked how the changes would effect rural deliveries and if mail customers could expect to get their mail later in the day under the new system.

Coffey said there would be no changes.

“I don’t think you’ll see much impact on early morning deliveries,” he said.

Coffey said he expected a decision on whether to reduce the Decatur Post Office hours to be made within the next few weeks. If the hours are reduced, Coffey said he expects the changes to be implemented in January.

When the decision is made, it will be posted in the Decatur Post Office lobby.

News, Pages 1 on 11/07/2012