United States Postal Service Probably Won't Close the Smallest Post Offices But Will Still Consolidate Mail Processing Sites

In an announcement earlier this month, the USPS says it has developed a strategy that will not require the closing of thousands of post offices, mainly those serving rural areas.  The plan would use customer use statistics to determine new shortened business hours.  Lobby access and box access as well as zip codes and community identity would not be affected.  This strategy would be implemented over a two year timeline and is projected to be finished by September of 2014.  Projected savings would be $500,000,000 (five-hundred million dollars).  The Postal Service is estimated to lose $14 billion dollars for the fiscal year of 2012.

Post offices in rural America will not be closed unless the community affected has a preference for other options that will be offered by the USPS.  Community meetings will be conducted to educate affected communities of these options.  The options include providing mail delivery by rural delivery or highway contract route, contracting with local businesses for a Village Post Office, or offering services from a nearby postal office.  An early retirement plan for 21,000 non-executive postmasters has also been announced.

However, the mail processing centers have not been spared.  The first phase of 140 consolidations will happen by February of 2013 with 89 more consolidations beginning one year later.  These consolidations are projected to save $2.1 billion annually and will reduce the postal workforce by 28,000 people.

It is unknown what the effect will be on the Barnard Post Office.  As per USPS policy, local postal employees are prohibited from discussing policy changes and making statements.