By Tony Zeli
The counter at the West End’s post office branch was closed, again. You can drop off your mail, but no packages. You might say to yourself, “Maybe I’ll try tomorrow and see what happens.” When will the service return? All you have to go on… Closed counters and a sign that reads:
“DUE TO UNFORTUNATE STAFFING ISSUES THIS LOCATION WILL BE CLOSED TODAY. WE ARE SORRY FOR ANY INCONVENIENCE.”
The West End’s post office branch, Station A at 622 Congress Street, has a staffing shortage. The issue has caused temporary closures of the service counter and disruption to services for weeks. Though customers can still drop off and pick up mail, when the counter is closed there are no stamp or money order sales and no package delivery for PO box customers.
The postal service has proposed closing Station A in the past. Neighbors and labor unions fought to save the branch. Located downtown near assisted living and affordable housing, the location is accessible by bus or walking. It is especially popular and needed for elderly and disabled residents nearby.
“While the retail window was impacted, there was a clerk being sent down from another office to sort the PO box mail each day. So, while it may have gotten up later in the day, there was daily delivery to all of our box customers,” responded Steve Doherty, regional spokesperson for the postal service.
Doherty stated that the staffing issue was short-term and already resolved. However, reports of a closed service window continue, especially before 10:30 a.m., although on the last Wednesday of September the branch was closed at 2:30 p.m.
WEN will continue coverage of this issue in the November edition.
Tony Zeli is publisher and editor. Reach him at thewestendnews@gmail.com.
