Norwood News

With seven Bronx post offices on the chopping block, including the Botanical Station site in Bedford Park, local officials and residents urged the Postal Service for a stay of execution.   

The United States Postal Service (USPS) says the closures represent necessary cost-cutting measures, but residents and officials counter that the offices offer vital neighborhood services, especially to lower-income seniors and immigrants.

Last week, at a hearing held at Fordham University, commissioners of the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC), an independent agency that oversees the USPS, listened to the testimony of 11 witnesses, some in favor, but most of them against the consolidation of postal services. 

State Senator Jeff Klein, from the 34th District, and Aurelia Greene, the deputy Bronx borough president, both said in statements that the closures would create unnecessary hardships for citizens of the Bronx, many of whom depend on the postal services for all their banking needs. “Of all the ingredients of a neighborhood, the post office is one of the most relevant facilities to the local citizen,” said Greene.

Several speakers were there to support Botanical Station, located on Webster Avenue in Bedford Park, which is heavily used by senior citizens and immigrants.

“For these seniors who are mostly on a fixed income and often have limited means to travel, this station is the only viable source for their postal services,” said Fernando Tirado, the district manager for Community Board 7, which includes Botanical Station. 

Tirado said the station was locked into a six-year lease and would be required, in accordance with the Postal Workers Union, to relocate all of its employees, meaning the savings from closure would be limited. 

USPS spokesperson Darleen Reid said the terms of leases are considered when making the decision to merge a station. Reid also said the Botanical Station is tied to a lease until 2016 and would have to sublease the space should the office be slated for consolidation.      

In support of the downsizing, Wendy Smith, of Publishers Clearing House, believes that if the Postal Service does not follow through with consolidation, postage will continue to rise, further turning away business and citizen mailers alike.

There is no specific deadline for the release of the PRC’s official recommendation. However, the USPS will be releasing an updated list of stations scheduled for closure on Thursday. Reid said the list will be smaller and that no service changes will be made until 2010.  She added that they received more feedback than anticipated.

“They love their post office, which is good to hear,” said Reid. “It means, we’re still relevant.”