Meeting with Seattle USPS Officials, Report

Apr. 8th,
Today the Save the Deer Harbor Post Office Committee met with Les Stewart, Operations Manager, and Kathy Young, Facilities Requirement Specialist, from the Seattle District Office of the USPS.

The Committee asked the Post Office Officials to explain where the Deer Harbor Post Office stands right now. Both officials said that the current USPS policy is to consolidate post offices within 10 miles another post office. And, more importantly, post offices facing termination of of their leases are looked upon as prime opportunities for closure. Thus we have two strikes against us.

After explaining our circumstance--difficult roads, serving outlying islands, etc., we asked what it would take to continue to have a post office in Deer Harbor. Their response was:

1. The USPS would consider a proposal from the DH Community if the community committed to build or convert an existing building, to USPS specifications, at the community's expense. We have two weeks to make such a proposal.
   
2. When asked what would happen if TrendWest were to extend our lease, the officials said that would be a major consideration in our favor.
3. No matter what happens, we are guaranteed that delivery of mail to Deer Harbor would continue, but that the facilities might be a central collection of lock boxes, rather than a post office.
   

The committee also received a letter from our Congressman, Rick Larsen, who has contacted postal officials on our behalf. Given all the issues facing our nation at this time, we really appreciate Congressman Larsen's efforts on our behalf, and look forward to his continued support.