ANDERSONVILLE — Many citizens of Andersonville showed up for a town meeting held Tuesday by the United States Postal Service (USPS) concerning the proposed closing of the Andersonville Post Office.

With thousands of post offices projected to close across the nation, concerned citizens of Andersonville, a Civil war village of 331 citizens,  started a petition just a month ago in an effort to save their post office.

Recently a notice of a town meeting concerning the closing of the post office was posted inside the post office, in an effort to notify citizens.   The meeting was held at Andersonville First Methodist Church located inside the tiny village. Members of the USPS greeted  attendees at the door, encouraging them to sign in.

The town meeting drew a crowd, although before the meeting was adjourned, the general consensus was that only 84 out of 400 Andersonville mail recipients received proper notification of the meeting.

According to USPS District Coordinator Alice Ryles, the primary spokesman for the meeting,  the meeting was held primarily to give the public the opportunity to voice their concerns on the possible closing of the post office.

The beginning of the meeting started with Ryles’ explanation of the process taken to make a final decision of the closure.

“ ... We send out a questionnaire to every one in the community ... ” she said, adding that the schedule of a town meeting where attendees voice their comments, concerns and could even send letters, would all become a part of the study. However, there were no surveys, no documentation concerning the proposed study and no addresses to which citizens could send their comments were made available. The citizens entered the room empty handed; only their signatures were required. Ryles said even their phone number wasn’t necessary.

Many citizens in attendance were concerned on how much time they had before a final decision would be made. They questioned the postal representatives including Manager of Customer Services Steven Cruz and Customer Services Analyst Carolyn Kirce. They asked for a time and date of when the study was initiated. The representatives shuffled around, asking each other the date, then finally announced Oct. 3.  Ryles then added that 160 days from that date, which would be around March, there would be a final determination made by the Vice President of Delivery and Post Office Programs.

Ryles assured the attendees, “This is only a study; no decision has been made and your comments and concerns are very important to us.”

She added that the USPS wants to provide the best service they can with the best means available. She went on to explain that the study takes 138-160 days. She announced the first step in the process was notifying customers of the proposal of the possible closure and what their options were for receiving service in the future, in the event the post office is closed.

Many members of the audience began to become restless; a few of them shook their heads, saying they had not received any correspondence concerning the study. Before the floor was opened for citizens’ comments, Ryles had mentioned citizens’ concerns, comments and surveys would become part of the study. Kirce even reinforced the fact of the questionnaire being a significant part of the study.

“We are required to review each and every question,” said Kirce.

Concerned citizen Mike Messner spoke up during citizens’ comments, asking, “Was there a questionnaire sent out? I have no questionnaire and no survey,” as many others shook their heads in agreement.

Cruz then spoke up, asking Andersonville Post Master Jim Atkins, ‘How many surveys were sent out?’ Atkins answered with, “I was only sent 84.”  

Atkins confirmed the 84 sent out were only for post office box holders, not including the 300 or more rural customers who make use of the post office.

Ryles continued to explain the proper mailing protocol of the proposed study, avoiding the comment by Messner.

Messner spoke up again saying, “Lady, you are talking about something that doesn’t exist. I have no questionnaire and no survey.”

Ryles and Cruz looked at each other; then after a brief moment, Ryles announced that everyone should receive a survey by Friday.

Andersonville Mayor Marvin Baugh introduced himself to the audience and said, “I have never been a tactful  person, but what kind of assurance do we have that they will consider our concerns?” explaining he is well experienced with how the bureaucracy works. He added, “Would they a least look at it? I know better than that,” as laughs came from the audience.

Ryles assured Baugh that they are required by law to review complaints and concerns.

State Sen. George Hooks, D-Americus, brought up that there is legislation concerning pension plans by post office employees which is related to the closures of the post offices. He said if the legislation comes through it could possibly help the financial crisis of the postal service.

Kenneth Cutts, representing U.S. Congressman Sanford Bishop, added, “The legislation is HR13-51, which basically states the postal service employees have paid into pension plans more than they should in the amount of $50-75 billion.” He said this legislation may help with the financial crisis of the postal services

Hooks said that Bishop is the co-sponsor of HR-13 51, and that there are 12-13 dozen pieces of legislation pending in Congress connected to the Preferred Health Care Cost Act of 2006.

“We are only breaking even at the end of the day,” Ryles said, adding that the USPS is downsizing, closing facilities, redirecting routes and consolidating mail processing offices,” and cutting 350 jobs  nationwide.

Ryles was also asked by a member of the audience how much the postal service could save by not delivering on Saturday. She said $3.5 billion of savings, a third of the $9.8 million in the red, reported debt by the USPS largest district in the Southeast, with its boundary lines stretching from South Carolina, south of Atlanta to Columbus to the Alabama line down to the Orlando Panhandle.

“The study looks at everything, the overall operations of the offices on the list to how much business crosses the counter,” said Ryles.

One member of the audience mentioned that one can’t mail a stamped package over 13 oz. and questioned how would it be mailed.

 “Leave a check in the mail box,” Cruz said, attempting to address the citizen’s concern.

Ryles said there are options of a business opening up a Village Post Office (VPO) which would entail the postal employees handling the mail, but the business only contracting as provider of the POB facility.

 Tourism Director and Curator for the Andersonville Guild, Cynthia Stormcaller, said the postal service plays an important role in making Andersonville Village a historic site.

“This town was founded here because of the postal service,” Stormcaller said, explaining that mail was brought into what was called Anderson Station in November 1855, when the post office was first established in Andersonville. Stormcaller also mentioned a statute which may still be in effect stating there would be no mailboxes on the streets of Andersonville.

 Stormcaller went on to stress the fact that Andersonville is primarily a rural community made up of low-income people and the retired who depend on the post office to secure the safe arrival of their Social Security checks.

Another concerned citizen, Jenny Crisp, said she had been receiving her mail in Andersonville for 20 years and she had lived in different areas and kept her post office box in Andersonville.

“There is a reason for this. I am assured my mail is safe. It is handled by your employer and I want my mail to be arriving somewhere where it will not be lost,” she said.  “It is really a good reason to have a post office box and it stays the same.”

State Rep. Mike Cheokas, R-Americus, also had questions and concerns.

How many boxes are rented? Who is responsible for making the final decision and has the extra expense and the extra workload on redirecting the mail been considered? were some of Cheokas’ questions.

Ryles said they have looked at the workloads and are matching up the workloads with workforce. She added that mail carriers can provide the same services which post office workers provide, such as stamps, packages etc.

Then, many members of the audience commented surely there would be extra cost entailed with extra workloads being placed on mail carriers, causing them to fall behind in the service of their mail.

After the meeting, Cruz was asked if it’s proper procedure/protocol to  mail all mail recipients, rural and box holders copies of the survey and a letter of notification of the town meeting and what he’s going to do about it. He said, “Have another meeting.”

Some citizens commented after the meeting. Box holder Crisp said, “Our days should not have started counting down yet,” referring to another meeting.

Citizen Lillie Mae Johnson said, “Mulcoa has a pile of mail they bring to the post office and the state park has a pile of mail.”

Stormcaller, also a citizen of Andersonville, said the majority of the 75,000 visitors to the historic village make use of the post office.

“Visitors come here just to get their mail canceled, stamped or mailed just because of the history of Andersonville,” she said, adding that three non-profit organizations and many employees of the big factories surrounding the village make use of the post office.

“We have the Andersonville National Historic Site, Andersonville Trail Association, Friends of Andersonville, Andersonville Guild, along with Mulcoa who use the Andersonville Post office. The post office plays a vital role in the community as far as daily parcels. It’s necessary for our community and tourism,” she said.

Stormcaller also handed in a petition which was signed by many citizens and visitors opposing the possible closure.