LIVERMORE FALLS — More than 90 post offices in rural Maine, including the East Livermore post office, are facing reduced hours as the U.S. Postal Service tries to reduce overhead and find cost savings.
More than 13,000 rural post offices nationwide will be affected as the Postal Service struggles with billions in debt.
The Postal Service started meetings with postal patrons of affected post offices in October. Meetings will continue through November and December and possibly longer.
Patrons of the post offices were previously sent letters explaining what was going on, along with a survey asking them about alternatives they preferred, including closing the post office or having reduced hours. Meeting notices are being posted in individual post offices that are affected.
A meeting is scheduled for customers of the East Livermore Post Office on Park Street in Livermore Falls for 4 p.m., Nov. 13, in the lobby of the post office. The proposal is to reduce the office’s hours from 7¾ to 2 hours per day on weekdays with the hours remaining the same as they are now on Saturdays.
East Wilton post office had its meeting in early October. The new hours that will go into effect Nov. 17 for weekdays are 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. and 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday hours will remain the same at 7:30 to 11 a.m., USPS spokesman Tom Rizzo said.
Oquossoc Post Office had a meeting in October. The Postal Service proposed to reduce its hours from eight to four per day.
Others post offices in northern Androscoggin County and Franklin County facing proposed reduced hours on weekdays are:
* Dryden: From eight hours per day to two hours.
* Jay: From eight hours to six hours per weekday.
* Livermore: From eight hours to four hours per day.
* Eustis: From eight hours to four hours per day.
* Farmington Falls: From eight hours to four hours per day.
* New Sharon: From eight hours to six hours per day.
* New Vineyard: From eight hours to four hours per day.
* New Portland: From eight hours to four hours per day.
* Phillips: From eight hours to six hours per day.
* Strong: From eight hours to six hours per day.
* Temple: From eight hours to four hours per day.
According to the Postal Service’s website, this is a preliminary list that requires additional review, analysis and verification and is subject to change.
dperry@sunjournal.com
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