Public weighs in on USPS closures

ELMO — The United States Postal Service held two public meetings in Lake County last week, seeking public comment on the potential closures of two of the county’s rural post offices — Elmo and Dixon.

Representatives from the USPS, Postmaster Ken Bates, of Helena, and Polson’s Postmaster, Shauna Gilroy, led the discussion in Elmo Wednesday. They informed concerned customers about the process — USPS employees are gathering information and public comment now and will likely have a decision made by October; the reasons their post office is on the list — it’s one of the 2,000 lowest revenue offices in the country; and what may happen to their service if it is, in fact, closed.

“We will still deliver the mail here, we’ll pick up packages,” Bates said. “But yeah, it’s not going to be as convenient.”

According to Bates, USPS has lost 20 percent of its mail volume in the last few years. The service has already taken steps to save money — like eliminating 63 executive positions in its Billings office — and is considering moving automated sorting equipment out of Butte and Helena and consolidating jobs into Great Falls.

“Over 100,000 employees have been reduced in the last few years,” he said. “I don’t like to see offices close, I know how important the post office is to your community. There are a lot of places in rural Montana where people really use their post office and all that will be taken into consideration.”

Montana Senators Max Baucus and John Tester and Representative Denny Rehberg each sent members of their staff to the Elmo meeting.

“Washington D.C. doesn’t realize how important these rural offices are,” Virginia Sloan, from Senator Tester’s office, said. “The Postmaster General makes $800,000 a year in benefits — there are other ways to save money.”

Members of the Elmo community shared their concerns, many of which had to do with the town’s low income and aging demographic.

“Do they take into consideration income,” resident Kim Swaney asked. “I would speculate that most of the people here don’t have access to alternative postal services.”

Others echoed her concerns, saying the area’s income and age are factors that contribute to its need for a manned post office.

“It’s a social place for elders who live alone,” Rosemary Caye said. “They go every day — that’s what they depend on. There’s no stores here, so where else are they going to go?”

Elmo’s post officer in charge, Dede Jolma, said she’s filled out money orders, addressed letters, made phone calls and even called the ambulance for members of the Elmo community when they needed a hand.

“I think it’d be devastating,” she said of the potential closure.

Perhaps one of the most telling comments came from Stan Baird who has lived in Elmo for 17 years.

“This community, they’re trying to grow,” he said. “If you don’t have a post office, it’s not going to grow — nobody is going to move here.”

Furthermore, Baird said, the tribes have gone to great lengths to provide improved streets, with curbs, sidewalks, handicap ramps and sensors built into the roads for future traffic light installations. Where do all those roads lead? To the post office.

There are approximately 130 active P.O. boxes at the Elmo office. Its closest neighboring post office is in Big Arm, four miles to the south, and Dayton is six miles north. Both of Elmo’s surrounding offices are considered level 11, while Elmo and Dixon are level 13 among post office ranks. From Dixon, the nearest post office would be more than 11 miles away in St. Ignatius, Charlo or Arlee.

In the next few weeks, Gilroy will post a written proposal, after which time there will be a 60-day comment period before the final proposal is sent to Helena.