Paul Bass Photo
September 2, 2009
POST OFFICE BRANCHES MAKE THE CUT
Neither rain nor sleet — nor a pending U.S. Postal Service budget-cutting decision — ended up stopping the mail in the Hill and Westville.
For now, at least.
The U.S. Postal Service confirmed Wednesday that it's not closing the Washington Avenue Kilby Station or the historic Fountain Street branch, with its WPA-era murals, after all.
The two branches had been on a list of stations the postal service planned to close by the end of this month in order to help close a $6 billion deficit. That provoked outrage in Westville and the Hill, where neighbors, especially those without cars, depended on the branches.
Maureen Marion, Northeast regional spokeswoman for the postal service, said Wednesday she didn't have specific information on why the two New Haven branches made the cut. She said the postal service looks at many factors when determining which branches to close or consolidate, like parking, customer use, historical usage trends, number of p.o. boxes, stamp sales, rent at the location, she said. "We're looking to make the best business case for each office to consolidate," she said.
"If the business case wasn't just right, better to take it off the list than to pursue consolidation," she said.
Marion held out the possibility that the service might draw up new branch-closing lists in the future.
"It's all changing so much. To say that anything is off for good would probably be a foolish thing to say," she said.
The postal service is still in crisis, with 20 percent of mail volume lost in recent years, she said. "Studies must continue."
Politicians from New Haven Alderwomen Jackie James and Liz McCormack to State Rep. Pat Dillon and U.S. Sen. Joe Lieberman had appealed to the postal service to keep open the branches, which regulars consider an important convenience.
"I'm just grateful," James said. "I thank everyone who helped us."
Dillon, too, said she is "thrilled and grateful that the community prevailed."