Petition to save post office continues to add names

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Scotia resident Tom Dowling said it would be a shame if the U.S. Postal Service closed the village’s only post office.

“Not only do we find it convenient, it’s sort of a way of life. You meet your friends. It would be a total change in culture.”

About 1,400 people have signed petitions hoping to save the Mohawk Avenue facility, which is among more than 400 the Postal Regulatory Commission is considering closing around the country. A final list of recommended closures could come later this week.

Copies of the petition were at Village Hall, Scotia-Glenville High School and local merchants. Deputy Mayor Joe Rizzo and other volunteers also went door to door gathering signatures.

“I’ve never seen something take off like this did,” Rizzo said. “It’s been very successful. I’m just hoping that it bears fruit.”

Residents have strong feelings about keeping the facility downtown for the convenience of residents.

“I only live a couple blocks away,” said Dan Willis, who was at the post office Monday. “Otherwise it means a four-mile drive up to [Glenville].”

There are also a lot of elderly residents in the community.

“There’s so many people that have to walk,” said resident Jane Brehm.

Mayor Kris Kastberg said village residents have been very involved in the effort to save the facility.

“We even had one elderly resident that made up their own sign and picketed the post office for a couple of days,” he said.

The petitions will be sent to elected officials such as U.S. Rep. Paul Tonko, D-Amsterdam, U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer and U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand.

Village officials also have been calling the Schenectady postmaster, who is making the final decision.

“They said the decision will be made sometime in October, but I haven’t been told when,” Kastberg said, adding that postal officials have not been forthcoming with information.

Tonko spokesman Beau Duffy said the congressman met with the municipal officials whose facilities were affected.

“The congressman certainly understands that access to the local post office is crucial for seniors and people who have trouble getting around. A lot of these post offices are integral parts of the communities they serve,” Duffy said.

However, he said Tonko recognizes that the Postal Service has a huge deficit to close.

The Postal Regulatory Commission’s recommendations are advisory only, according to spokeswoman Ann Fisher.

“We do not make the decision of whether or not to close. That’s solely up to the Postal Service,” she said.

Fisher said the commission’s opinion would be ready “sometime this fall” but did not have a specific date.

“That does not impede the Postal Service from actually closing a station or branch,” she said. “They said they will not do any closures prior to Oct. 2, but after that they will begin.”

Maureen Marion, spokeswoman for the Albany region of the Postal Service, said a new list may come on Friday.