Schumer joins fight for Halfmoon to get own ZIP code

The 60 chairs set out at Halfmoon Town Hall were not enough for those in attendance Wednesday morning as U.S. Sen. Charles E. Schumer pledged to secure a ZIP code for the town, which currently is split among four others — Clifton Park, Waterford, Mechanicville and Round Lake.

Behind the podium on the right was a sign that read “Halfmoon, NY 120_ _”

“When most people think of a ZIP code, they think of a simple five-digit number they use to send and receive mail,” Schumer said. “It’s something we use so often it is easy to dismiss, but the people here in Halfmoon know how significant those five digits can be and why it means so much more than just postage. As this sign shows, Halfmoon doesn’t have its own ZIP code. It has become a serious problem.”

For more than a decade, Halfmoon, one of the fastest-growing towns in Saratoga County, has longed for its own identity, a ZIP code residents can truly call home. Many town supervisors have fought for this but have been rejected by the United States Postal Service.

This time Halfmoon has something — well, someone — on its side it didn’t before: New York’s senior senator.

“Now we have an influential U.S. senator who has decided to step into the fray,” said Pete Bardunias, president and CEO of the Chamber of Southern Saratoga County. “It also seems as though it may be fortuitous timing with changes being made within the Postal Service to put this through.”

Schumer, too, believes timing will work to the town’s advantage.

“Since the Postal Service needs Congress for all kinds of things, particularly now, as they are reorganizing, Congress has some leverage over them,” he said. “When I see the new postmaster general, I am going to put this at the top of my list.”

It significantly helps the cause that there is a post office in Halfmoon, even though it is a Clifton Park address, right off Exit 8 of the Northway.

“In this day and age, where finances and budgets are extremely tight and critical, it’s a lot easier of a sell to our U.S. Postal Service that there’s an actual post office located in the town of Halfmoon already,” town Supervisor Kevin Tollisen said.

Those five little numbers are a matter of practicality as much as pride.

“We are ‘Halfmoon Proud,’ ” said state Sen. Kathy Marchione, a town resident. “This code puts a stamp on who we are.”

Town residents have been asking for this change for years, but some new arrivals are just as anxious for it.

“As a new resident, everyone is writing to me to Halfmoon, and the mail is going back to my previous home in Massachusetts,” said Karen Murphy, a town resident since June. “I love the idea of living in Halfmoon, but my address is Mechanicville. I’m also concerned about the safety issue because if we ever did have an emergency it’s confusing.”

The Postal Service has the power to make this change. First, it must initiate a review process to take a closer examination of the composition of the town.

“Once they do this, they will see Halfmoon’s logic, and that its lack of ZIP code is holding the town back,” Schumer said. “I can think of no better example than where we are all standing today, the Halfmoon Town Hall. Did you take a look at the address on the way in? Guess what it says. It’s listed as Clifton Park; that just seems so wrong.”

Halfmoon is thriving. The town’s population has grown to approximately 22,000, and it is home to numerous businesses, as well.

“We are a fast-growing town because in our town budget we rely on mortgage tax and sales tax. We have an enticing community because we don’t have a general town tax or highway tax. Our taxes are low,” Tollisen said.

Town officials believe that in order for expansion to continue, change is necessary.

“Now’s the time. It’s time for the four different ZIP codes that encompass Halfmoon to become one. It’s time for the U.S. Postal Service to say, ‘Yes,’ ” Tollisen said. “We believe that it will enhance the town because it will provide better identity for residents, help existing business identify themselves as Halfmoon businesses, attract new, exciting, vibrant businesses to our area, ensure proper home deliveries and data collection for different things, including grants, and also answer the call from residents who over the years have repeatedly requested that Halfmoon get its own ZIP code.”

There are many reasons this issue is a serious problem, including confusion, lost revenue for local businesses, future economic development, applying for grants and emergency response.

Local businesses may be losing customers because people are unable to locate them. However, this isn’t the only problem for the economy of the town; Halfmoon’s continuing growth could be stunted as a result.

“Larger companies who may be looking to move to the area, hotel chains and retail stores use ZIP code-driven data to determine locations for expansion. That’s how the census is, that’s how all our numbers are,” Schumer said. “It would be a tragedy if the town of Halfmoon were to miss out on these businesses due to a lack of ZIP code.”

Also, in an urgent situation, every second is precious, he said, adding that “911 call centers use ZIP codes to track addresses and dispatch emergency personnel. It’s important to eliminate any ambiguity or confusion about where an emergency might be taking place. The reason why this confusion can happen is because Halfmoon shares many of the same streets and street names with neighboring towns.”

Despite technological advancements, this postal code matter can still cause chaos.

“Having a unique ZIP code would help emergency services a lot. No one has died, but it’s important to be proactive and progressive and not wait until something happens to say, ‘We should have done this 15 years ago,’ ” said Art Hunsinger, chief of the Clifton Park-Halfmoon Fire Department. “It’s heartbreaking that we have lost our identity.”

One specific incident was offered as an example: The towns of Halfmoon and Clifton Park both have streets named Birchwood Drive. In September 2003, an ambulance crew went to 12 Birchwood Drive in Clifton Park instead of 12 Birchwood Drive in Halfmoon, delaying arrival at the emergency by 15 minutes.

At the conclusion of his speech, Schumer said: “Halfmoon should not have to wait another decade to get the ZIP code it deserves.”

The room thundered with applause.

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