CLOSING THE = CENTER RUTLAND POST OFFICE

Closing the Center Rutland Post Office

An Opinion from Center Rutland = Residents,

Linda Johnson=20 and William Rounds

This is an update on the relocation of the Center Rutland Post = Office.=20 The article on the historical background of the post office by Theresa = Kulig,=20 which appeared in the April Circle=20 was=20 well written, informative and helpful to understanding this vital part = of our=20 local community.

Brian Derr, our former Center Rutland Postmaster, worked = diligently to=20 relocate the Post Office to a suitable location. His efforts were to no = avail=20 due to the lack of cooperation and caring by the Post Office officials, = both at=20 the District office and Facilities office. =20 He was told there were other post offices with greater needs, = when at the=20 time the Center Rutland building itself was in urgent need of = repair.

After relocating the Post Office to West Rutland, a meeting = was held=20 there on April 29, attended by the Cynthia Thurston, District Manager in = charge=20 of Post Office operations for the Rutland area, and Jim McCartney, the = Post=20 Office Review Coordinator from Portland, Maine. A poorly designed survey had = been sent=20 to postal patrons with an April 29 return date. Local petitions were = circulated=20 and subsequently forwarded to Portland, Maine, although we were told at = the=20 meeting that the effort would not result in any change. It was made = clear that=20 the financial stability of the Post Office Department is at best = difficult, and=20 due to the =93emergency suspension,=94 which characterized our post = office closing,=20 relocation=20 to West Rutland could be made permanent after 90 days,=20 i.e. by the end of June.

The Post Office also has the discretion to delete the name and = zip code=20 of Center Rutland. This happened recently to several towns in Maine. = Such a=20 declaration by the Post Office would be devastating to the identity and=20 community needs of the Center Rutland area and its residents. There has = been a=20 Post Office in Center Rutland since 1850 and the future of that emblem = of=20 community is now threatened. =20

We urge the residents of Rutland Town to be proactive in = supporting the=20 reinstatement of the Center Rutland Post Office back to our community = and saving=20 the Center Rutland zip code. =20 Contact any of the following members of the State Legislature or = our=20 elected U.S. Senators and Congressman, and urge them to assist in saving this small, = rural post=20 office, which is so reflective of a small town way of life:=20

=B7 Kevin Mullin, = State Senator=20 from Rutland County residing in =20 =20 Rutland Town, kjmbjm@aol.com; 775-7631.

=B7 James McNeil, Representative to the State Legislature from = Rutland = Town,=20 jmcneil@leg.state.vt.us; 775-2665

=B7 Peter Welch, member of the U.S. House of Representatives, =

&nbs= p; =20 1-888-605-7270

=B7 Patrick Leahy, U. S. Senate, 1-802-865-4437

=B7 Bernard Sanders, U. S. Senate, = 1-800-339-9834

A June 3 = letter to=20 Ms. Johnson and Mr. Rounds from a Post Office official in the Northern New England = District=20 states that =93we do not feel it is warranted to establish a new (Center = Rutland)=20 facility at this time. The West Rutland Post Office, 1.6 mile from the = Center=20 Rutland location, provides a maximum degree of effective and regular = postal=20 services to the community.=94 = The=20 letter also stated that the Office will keep the Center Rutand zipcode = and all=20 current street and P.O. box addresses. =