NORTON: Some 40 people, including the city’s mayor, business owners and even postal workers, expressed their dismay at a town hall meeting Thursday over plans to close Norton’s sole post office.
The U.S. Postal Service has placed the Norton post office on a list of offices to be closed in an effort to cut costs as the mail service struggles with declining revenue thanks to competition and the Internet. Postal administrators have said the postal service is losing $24 million a day.
A proposal is on the table to combine Norton and Barberton and just have one post office at the existing building in Barberton. The move would take place in mid-May if postal officials decide to go ahead with the closing in Norton.
“I understand the mail is down but losing Norton’s post office would take away the city’s identity and from a political standpoint would hurt our income tax base,” said Summit County Councilman Tim Crawford, who is a former Norton mayor and owns an insurance company in Norton. “It will take me 20 minutes to get a package mailed in Barberton.”
Several residents said they would not go to Barberton to spend their money.
“If I’m forced to go to Barberton, I will go to Copley or Fairlawn and do my business and Norton will lose my money,” said Becky Woodruff of Durham Drive. “I will be able to consolidate my gas and time. A post office has a lot to do with where people spend their money. I wouldn’t even bother with Barberton. I would rather give up Saturday delivery than my post office.”
Norton businessman Art Johnson, an electrician, doesn’t understand what the postal service is thinking.
“How can the post office increase your prices and give you crappier service? Yeah, if I did that, my business would really grow.”
Postal workers Sue Torok and Scott Davis, who grew up in Norton and still live there, said there are other ways to save money.
“This shouldn’t even be a consideration, closing our post office. This works,” said Davis. “The postal service is having brain cramps. I am so adamantly opposed to this. We carry the mail and no one asked us what we think.”
Torok said it’s a family, not just a post office.
“I spend more time with these people than my husband. It’s like losing part of your family.”
Charlie Lemon, the head of United Retirees of America, urged postal officials to re-examine the closing.
“I think you guys are jumping the gun and should back off. Legislation on the table now can help negate the 2006 legislation that is just trying to shut down the union and privatize the post office.”
The U.S. Postal Service is seeking help from lawmakers to meet its financial obligations related to funding its retirement fund.
Samantha Herd, a representative from Rep. Betty Sutton’s office, urged residents to write to all Congress members in Northeast Ohio to let them know how they feel.
Three administrators from the postal service attended and took notes.
Marchelle Rogers, district manager of post office operations, said the closing isn’t final.
“We have no position. We have to go with whatever is decided,” Rogers said.
Marilyn Miller can be reached at mmiller@thebeaconjournal.com or 330 996-3098.