FREEMAN TOWNSHIP – Mike Gilmore is upset over a proposed change in his address from Kingfield to Strong. The U.S. Postal Service has floated an idea, driven by Franklin County’s street addresses in unorganized townships, to combine two mail routes.

Residents say the move would cost them time, money and aggravation.

If the Postal Service does decide to make the change, Gilmore said he will have to travel farther to pick up a package if he needs to.

And instead of Gilmore traveling 2 miles to pick up a package at the Kingfield Post Office, he’ll have to travel 16 to 17 miles to the Strong Post Office.

When Gilmore lost his job after a Kingfield mill closed this year, he started a new property maintenance business. He lettered his truck with his Kingfield address. If his address changes, then he’ll have to have it relettered and make other business-related changes.

Gilmore isn’t the only one upset over the U.S. Postal Service’s proposed address change. Twenty-four names appeared on a letter dated Aug. 20 that was sent to postal officials asking for a meeting to discuss the change.

The group’s request for a meeting before the change is made has gone unanswered, ridge resident Bob Carlton said.

Postal Service spokeswoman Christine Dugas said that a decision hasn’t been made about the proposed address change. The change is driven by Franklin County’s giving street addresses to homes and businesses rather than rural route numbers or post office boxes to comply with 911 emergency system.

The Postal Service has nothing to do with 911, Dugas said.

When addresses are anticipated to change, Dugas said, the Postal Service, which doesn’t receive tax dollars, looks at ways to operate more efficiently with the least impact to customers.

A meeting hasn’t been set up, Dugas said, since no decision has been made. If a decision is made to change, then a meeting could be held to address concerns.

Postal officials have conducted an informal survey to see if customers’ would have concerns.

And they do, Dugas said.

Kingfield does part of the Freeman mail route and Strong does the other part.

Dugas said residents in Freeman will most likely receive new street addresses when the 911 address system is completed.

The Postal Service gives people a minimum of one year to change their addresses, which would give them time to deplete their stock of letterheads, business cards, checks and other addressed items, Dugas said

This happens all across the country, Dugas said.

“Change is hard,” Dugas said.

“It’s going to have a huge affect,” Carlton said.

Out of 17 families that live on the ridge, Carlton said, 11 have businesses they run out of their homes.

About 90 percent of the residents in Strong are closer to the Strong Post Office, Carlton said, but those on Freeman Ridge are closer to Kingfield Post Office.

“One of the things that makes me angry is you can’t get a straight answer,” Carlton said.

Contractor Robert Pigeon said the proposed change would cost him money and possibly work.

“I’ve been in business for 25 years,” Pigeon said.

His demographic area for his business has always been Kingfield and Sugarloaf/Carrabassett Valley area.

If he has to change his address to Strong that will take him out of the running for business in the Carrabassett Valley region, Pigeon said.

“I won’t do it,” Pigeon said. “I’ll have to go down to Kingfield and get a post office box.”

Tellis Fenwick, another ridge resident, said he’s talked to postal officials about a proposed change of address from Kingfield to New Portland. He’ll stay with a Kingfield address.

“I just flatly told them I wasn’t going to change my address,” Fenwick said.

dperry@sunjournal.com

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