Next month’s scheduled relocation of mail carriers to Washington has raised concerns that it may signal the eventual closing of the Marthasville Post Office. 

Marthasville mail carriers are scheduled to begin working out of the Washington facility around Sept. 11. 

Local officials fear a future reduction in staff and local resources could lead to a permanent closure of the Marthasville office and they have organized a Save the Post Office town hall meeting. It’s set for 7 p.m. this Thursday, Aug. 19, at St. Paul’s United Church of Christ in Marthasville.

Mayor Dale Verges said Fred Wolfmeyer, with the American Postal Workers Union, is expected to attend to discuss the proposed changes and help rally support. Warren County commissioners confirmed that they  will be in attendance. Marthasville area Chamber of Commerce officials, other community members and residents are encouraged to attend.

Some of the ideas that are being floated include mailing letters and post cards to state and federal elected officials and circulating a petition, according to Verges.

“If we want to fight this to keep it open, it will take some public involvement,” he said.

Verges said the plan calls for local carriers to report to the Washington facility where the mail will be sorted and then drive back to the Marthasville area to begin their routes. He said Wolfmeyer told him eventually the post office’s clerks may be phased out and hours reduced.

Once that happens, a decrease in revenue could lead to the post office’s closure, Wolfmeyer told Verges.

Local postal employees declined to comment on the proposed changes and referred all questions to the St. Louis office. Valerie Hughes, communications manager for the postal service’s Gateway District, confirmed the carriers will be relocated, but told The Record the post office will remain open.

She didn’t expect any major changes for the time being, noting that the hours will likely stay the same.

“Everything you do at a post office, you still will be able to do,” Hughes said. “The only difference is with the carriers. We have a greater need for employee resources (in Washington).”

When asked about the possibility of a future closure, she commented that the postal service is constantly analyzing its operations. She said similar changes to what will occur in Marthasville next month have been made nationwide.

The Marthasville Post Office employs 11 people including four full-time carriers, four part-time carriers, two part-time clerks and a post master.

The post office delivers mail to a large geographical area that goes as far north as Hopewell Hill and west to Lost Creek Road. The mail routes also extend into western St. Charles County.

With the ongoing construction of a grocery store and steel company and recent business developments that included the opening of two banks and the Infield Sports Bar and Grill within the past few years, city and county officials commented that a possible closing would be a blow to the area.

“It would be very detrimental to the economy of the community,” Southern District Commissioner Hubie Kluesner said.

Verges said he was told that the post office changes could possibly be prevented if enough community support is generated.

“The community must get involved and fight to keep the post office open,” he said.

At the Aug. 10 board of aldermen meeting, city attorney Chris Graville encouraged the board to take an active role in fighting the changes and to gather support from community members.

“I would hate to see the city lose out on what is a huge resource for a smaller city,” he said. “You’re never going to get them to come back again. Once they leave, they’re gone.”

BREAKOUT

Save Our Post Office

A town hall meeting will be held this Thursday, Aug. 19, at St. Paul’s United Church of Christ to inform and gather input from community members.

The meeting will begin at 7 p.m.

The mail carriers working out of the Marthasville post office are scheduled to be relocated to Washington in the middle of September. City officials fear that the proposed changes could eventually lead to the post office’s closure.