The long serving Postmaster of the Huletts Post Office, Pam Stragnell, has recently announced her retirement. I know I speak for the entire Huletts Landing community in wishing her much success and happiness. In an effort to learn more about her plans and what the future holds for the Huletts Post Office, I asked her a few questions.
Can you give the readers of the Huletts Current a brief synopsis of the changes going on today in the United States Postal Service.
The Postal Service wants to keep its small offices open. With the increased use of email instead of First Class Mail, revenue has fallen. The Postal Service decided to save money in small offices by having them be remotely managed instead of having a manager or “Postmaster” in each one. All small offices across the nation are losing their Postmasters. We are being replaced by hourly employees who will not have the benefits we had. I had three choices: transfer to a larger office somewhere else where there was an opening, retire early (I am only 60), or I will be layed off at close of business January 9, 2015. With the health challenges I face living with Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma, my husband and I decided I should retire rather than return to commuting over the Huletts mountain every day.
Can you explain what changes will take place in the Huletts Post Office?
The Huletts Landing Post Office will convert to a Remotely Managed Office on Saturday, January 10. The Whitehall Post Office will be the administering office and Huletts will be staffed by a Postal Support Employee which we hope will be Jennifer Hallock. The staffing decision has not yet been made. The reduced hours will take affect and have been announced as Monday through Friday 9:00 am to 1:00 pm. That is the time someone will be there staffing the window. The building will be open from 8:00 am through 4:30 pm every day. The automatic door and timer lights have already been installed. Saturday operations will not be affected – they will remain open from 8:00 am to 11:45 with the building open from 8:00 am to 12:00 noon. Everyone should use their keys to access their mail boxes. Also recently installed are Parcel Lockers. They will be used to deliver packages to people who can’t be there between 9:00 am and 1:00 pm. The package gets delivered to one of the lockers, the locker key is put in your PO box, you use your key to open your PO box, get the parcel locker key and use it to get your package. The parcel locker key is then locked in place until the postal worker unlocks it the next day.
You will be retiring but not leaving Huletts. Can you fill us in on your plans?
My husband and I are not leaving Huletts Landing, I’m just going to be home more often. I will miss seeing everyone at the Post Office but I’ll see everyone on the road or somewhere around town.
I’d like to take this opportunity to say “thank you” to all of my Huletts Friends for my surprise retirement gift at the Fire Company Christmas party. I am deeply touched by everyone’s generosity and support. My husband and I look forward to our long weekend in Maine at one of our favorite places in warmer weather. Thank you so much for thinking of me.
Any finals thoughts?
Don’t forget to keep supporting your local Post Office. The USPS will re-evaluate the small offices each year to make sure they are open the correct number of hours. Please keep sending in your Stamps by Mail orders. I will miss you all.