As sometimes happens in my BFA world, I forgot to grab my video camera for the public meeting regarding the post office.  I did have however have my audio recorder with me.

The above audio is of Buffalo’s Postmaster, John Phelan.  He lays out the problems facing the United States Postal Service and why the Broadway-Fillmore Station is under review to determine if it should close.

About twenty people were at the meeting.  I spoke along with other people from the neighborhood.

The reoccurring message most of the public sent is how important the post office is to the community and the business district.

Patra Mangus…a neighborhood resident who also works in B-F and is a member of the Broadway Area Business Association, spoke at the meeting wrote this in her letter to the editor of the Buffalo News:

This is a very old community. Most residents rely on public transportation. Being a less desirable neighborhood, mostly low-income people live here. Like most communities, we deal with criminals who prey on the weak and elderly. The post office tells us to use the main office on William Street, which is not a practical solution. It would take two buses and $3.50 bus fare for me to check on my mail in my post office box. And even that location is part of planned closings.

Many of our older residents remember the Great Depression and don’t trust banks. Having a post office box allows them to receive their check, in their hands, instead of direct deposit in a bank. They purchase money orders to pay their bills and mail them—all at the post office. They don’t have to worry about their check being stolen from their mailbox on the house.

The post office should also take into consideration its carriers, who slog through unshoveled sidewalks and past vacant buildings, drug dealers and aggressive dogs. The more mail being put into the post office boxes, the less likely a carrier will be injured in a fall or endangered in some other way.

I appreciate the dilemma the post office is in, but the potential damage to our community is much too great to allow the Broadway Fillmore Station to close.

When I had the opportunity to speak, I spoke of how the decision to close the post office can’t solely be based dollars and cents (the Broadway-Fillmore Station isn’t losing money by the way) and that the intangible benefits to the neighborhood and business district need to be taken into consideration.  A post office being open means a lot to a neighborhood like Broadway-Fillmore which has seen its share of decline over the years.  Closing it works against its residents, people, organizations and businesses working hard to change things in the neighborhood.

I encourage you to give your input and ask the USPS not close the Broadway-Fillmore Station by writing to:

Facility Optimization Coordinator
United States Postal Service
1200 William St. Rm 205
Buffalo, NY 14240-9345

The Broadway Fillmore Station post office is once again on the closing list by the United States Postal Service.

It is almost two years to the day that the office was saved from a previous closure attempt.

Tom Handley, who owns the building where the post office is located, emailed me about the meeting.

On Friday Nov 11 (Veteran’s Day), the Post Office hung notices on their door and interior wall announcing a public meeting to be held on November 29. This notice gave reasons for their decision to close this location (4 pages attached). They also sent out a survey to residents in the area on 11-10-11 (copy attached). As their landlord, I have not been contacted by the Post Office regarding this action.

Here is attached notice from post office (pdf)—>

More from Tom:

The community has been successful so far in keeping this Post Office branch open, but it’s biggest challenge is coming up.  In order to save our post office, we need 200 people to attend this meeting.  Other communities across the country have been successful in keeping their post offices open – but it takes the entire community, and we have to have strong attendance at this meeting.  (We will serve light refreshments.)

Take the time and attend the meeting at the Matt Urban Center on 11/29 at 6:30.   Losing the the post office would be a significant  blow to the neighborhood.

Almost two years ago the Broadway-Fillmore post office was saved from closure. Well, the loaction is back on the list of potential sites being reviewed to determine which ones will close in Western New York.

The U. S. Postal Service will make a formal announcement Friday that the Broadway-Fillmore post office will be taken off the list closing offices.

From the Buffalo News:

Buffalo Common Council President David A. Franczyk called the decision to spare the Broadway-Fillmore Station from closure “delightful” news. He had led a lobbying effort to keep it open and had discussions with Rep. Louise M. Slaughter, DFairport, and district postal officials.

“But we have to stay vigilant in future years,” Franczyk said. “One battle at a time.”

Earlier Tuesday, the Council’s Community Development Committee heard from numerous speakers who expressed opposition to the closing of the Broadway-Fillmore Station. They cited statistics indicating that nearly 80 percent of the residents living in the impoverished neighborhood do not own vehicles.

The small retail operation on Broadway has one full-time staff member and does not have letter carriers working out of its facility.

Great news!  A lot of people went to bat to stop this.

On Tuesday, there will be a public hearing to discuss the proposed closing of the post office at 1035 Broadway.

The hearing will be on the 13th floor of Buffalo City Hall in the council chambers at 1 PM.

More info…contact Tom Handley at Tom@wnystorage.com or David Franczyk’s office 716.851.3148.

By Brian Meyer – 10/05/2009
News Staff Reporter
——————-

When an East Side post office failed to open on time this morning, the building’s landlord claimed it was another example of officials trying to close it down by neglect.

The Broadway-Fillmore Branch at 1035 Broadway is on a list of about 400 post offices nationwide that are being reviewed for possible closure.

The Broadway facility’s late opening was an “anomaly” caused by a recent staffing change and miscommunication, a local spokesman for the U.S. Postal Service insisted. The one-person office opened more than an hour late because a manager based in another post office was unaware that an employee had called in sick.

“We regret the inconvenience to customers, and this won’t happen again,” said Victor C. Laudisio, the Buffalo Post Office’s customer relations coordinator.

But Thomas Handley, who owns the building where the Broadway-Fillmore Branch has been operating since 2001, said today’s tardy opening is the latest in a string of problems. The post office closes for lunch each day, he said. The hours have also been changed numerous times, and the branch is currently open only 25 hours a week, Handley complained.

[read full story in Buffalo News]

The Post Office at 1035 Broadway is on the list of potential post office closings.  A number of concerened neighborhood residents and business owners have collected over 600 names on a petition to save the post office.  They were sent to Congresswoman Louise Slaughter.

There will be a public hearing on Wednesday, September 23 (1:00 to 4:00 pm)  being conducted by the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC).  It will be held at:

O’Keefe Commons in O’Hare Hall,
Rose Hill Campus, Fordham University
441 East Fordham Road
Bronx, New York 10458

With the hearing being that far away, making it extremely difficult to attend, everyone who is concerned about the closing of the post office needs to send a letter of support asap to:

Ruth Y Goldway, Chairman
Postal Regulatory Commission
901 New York Ave, NW Suite 200
Washington, DC  20268-0001

The commission encourages you and your fellow citizens to express your concerns.  The PRC is an independent agency that exercises oversight over the US Postal Service.

Decisions on closings will be made public on or after October 2, 2009.

Anyone sending a letter is asked to cc Tom Handley at Tom@wnystorage.com or 241 Lombard St, Buffalo, NY  14212.

Notice: Public Hearing – “Save our Post Office”

New Meeting Location:

1081 Broadway – Matt Urban Center

Wednesday April 22nd, 2009 4:00 PM

When: Wednesday April 22nd, 2009 4:00PM

Where: 1122 Broadway – Ladies of Charity

Why: In response to the US Post Office’s desire to further reduce hours at this location – with the possibility of closing this location.

In Attendance: 3 representatives of the US Post Office.

Also Attending: Common Council President David Franczyk, who on April 14th, 2009 introduced a resolution to the Common Council that states in part -

“Whereas: While everyone understands the need to control and cut costs, a schedule needs to be in place so that the postal service can meet the needs of the businesses and residents of the community.”

Come and bring your friends and neighbors.

Let your voice be heard.

We need as many people as possible to attend this meeting.

Broadway Fillmore Concerned Citizens Coalition
Patra Mangus
Chairwoman