Although an official with the United States Postal Service recently told Connect-Bridgeport there are no plans to close the Bridgeport Post Office on Virginia Avenue, Mayor Robert Greer isn’t necessarily buying it. In fact, Greer isn’t even buying what Tad Kelley, out of the USPS’s Corporate Communications Office in Pennsylvania is saying about letter carriers possibly moving.

 

In a Jan. 17 article, Kelley said that a “savings analysis” being done on the facility would determine whether carriers using the Virginia Avenue facility would be taken from that site and relocated to the former regional distribution center at Eastpointe. Greer thinks that’s going to happen regardless.

 

“I’m all but certain that no matter what that study says letter carriers in Bridgeport will be moved out of the city within a few months,” said Greer.

 

Greer’s concerns became public Monday when he gave the mayor’s report at the Bridgeport City Council meeting. Greer was very blunt with what he thought the analysis would lead to – and it’s not necessarily good news for Bridgeport.

 

“I believe this is a precursor to the closure of the Bridgeport Post Office,” said Greer. “I think this sets exactly the wrong type of message for one of the few growing cities in West Virginia.”

 

According to Kelley, that’s not the case. He said in January that if the letter carriers were transferred that it would happen in early May. However, he insisted that the site will still be staffed and that existing customer services such as post office boxes, acquiring stamps, dropping off letters and other window services that currently exist will remain the same. As for Greer, he’s not buying it.

 

“My concern is that they’re saying one thing and it appears to be something altogether different,” said Greer. “Clearly, they’re moving some services out of Bridgeport in the new few months I believe it’s the first step in closing it altogether. I find that very troubling when just a few years ago there was discussion on building a new post office in Bridgeport.”

 

Greer’s assessment on a new post office isn’t wrong. In fact, in the early 2000s there was discussion of building a new facility. At that time, in February of 2001, then region’s manager of post office operations Paul DuPont said that there were definitely plans for a new building. However, at that time they were calling for a building 1,500 square feet smaller than the current building with plans to move carrier operations to Eastpointe.

 

At the time, the proposal was for a new 4,000 net interior square feet building on 1.5 acres. The new building would replace the existing one – at 5,449 interior square feet in 2001 – that was built in 1961. The building was to have been built in the same general location, but not at the same site. DuPont estimated the new building in 2001 would cost up to $1 million.

 

As everyone knows, the construction of a new building never happened as financial problems in the postal service wiped out many projects being planned. However, the shifting of carrier service also never happened. The big change, however, is that the Eastpointe facility that was once a regional hub no longer serves in that capacity and there is plenty of space available there, which Kelley said in January.

 

Even with that history, Greer doesn’t like the Postal Service’s current strategy in looking to make the change.

“I don’t understand what the change is for and why it’s needed. There’s not a good explanation for it,” he said. “We’re going to extradite the mail carrier operations further from town to make it harder for delivery and to slow down the service to the community. I find it problematic.”

 

Greer said he had not talked to officials at the United States Postal Service. However, he said he does plan to voice his concerns elsewhere.

 

“My big feet may be on their back, but in another way,” said Greer. “I plan on taking my concerns straight to our Congressional delegation.”

 

Greer said losing a community post office would be a big deal. He said he’s seen this happening to communities throughout the region and the state and also knows it’s happening elsewhere. He also said he has the support of his fellow members on Bridgeport City Council who did not object to his concerns and that he was going to try to do something about it.

 

“I felt fully supported by (Council). We all recognize it,” said Greer. “When you get down to it, it’s just as important to many in the community as a service as fire service is as our churches are in what it means to the value of a community.

 

“I didn’t grow up in Bridgeport, but have seen other communities lose a post office followed by a high school and then become a wide spot on the road,” he continued. “I don’t know, or really think, Bridgeport falls into that category, but why let the first domino fall, especially when it’s not necessary.”