FORT SMITH - More than 670 post office stations across the country are on the proverbial chopping block including four here in our area. 5NEWS spoke with the Fort Smith postmaster and his customers about the study that could shut the store doors.
The Barling station is one of three in the fort smith area that the U.S. Postal Service is studying for possible closure and consolidation. Two others in the Fort Smith area are also on the list. One is the South Fort Smith station on 32nd street; the other is the Rogers Avenue Station near Creekmore Park. Meanwhile, the Johnson station in Northwest Arkansas is also under consideration.
Postal authorities insist that this is just a study and no decisions have been made. But that's little comfort to residents who rely on local stations like the one on 32nd in Fort Smith.
"I don't have a vehicle so it's going to make it hard on me if they close this down and a lot of other people, too," one woman told us.
Fort Smith postmaster stan logan reassures customers that they will be serviced no matter what--even if the doors at these stations are closed.
"We like to use the term consolidation because what we do here will be consolidated at our other facilities," Logan told 5NEWS.
Logan blames a 15 percent decline in volume so far this year. In fact, he says last year's numbers were lowers than the years before. Many customers now pay bills online and the economic recession has reduced the amount of pieces from major mail users.
Of the more than 670 branches being considered, Logan estimates only 200 or so will actually be consolidated. There are eight total post offices in arkansas that are on the list.
The Barling station is one of three in the fort smith area that the U.S. Postal Service is studying for possible closure and consolidation. Two others in the Fort Smith area are also on the list. One is the South Fort Smith station on 32nd street; the other is the Rogers Avenue Station near Creekmore Park. Meanwhile, the Johnson station in Northwest Arkansas is also under consideration.
Postal authorities insist that this is just a study and no decisions have been made. But that's little comfort to residents who rely on local stations like the one on 32nd in Fort Smith.
"I don't have a vehicle so it's going to make it hard on me if they close this down and a lot of other people, too," one woman told us.
Fort Smith postmaster stan logan reassures customers that they will be serviced no matter what--even if the doors at these stations are closed.
"We like to use the term consolidation because what we do here will be consolidated at our other facilities," Logan told 5NEWS.
Logan blames a 15 percent decline in volume so far this year. In fact, he says last year's numbers were lowers than the years before. Many customers now pay bills online and the economic recession has reduced the amount of pieces from major mail users.
Of the more than 670 branches being considered, Logan estimates only 200 or so will actually be consolidated. There are eight total post offices in arkansas that are on the list.
