Holmes Beach postal customers may have to find somewhere else to pick up their mail.
Holmes Beach Mayor Bob Johnson sent a letter to state and federal lawmakers March 19 urging them to help save P.O. box services at the Holmes Beach post office, 5343 Gulf Drive.
“Without explanation, the (U.S. Postal Service) has unilaterally decided that more than 230 active post office boxes must be relocated …” stated Johnson in a letter to U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan, as well as state Reps. Gregg Steube and Jim Boyd and state Sen. Bill Galvano.
The “decision” refers to the apparent rejection of a request to include box services as an item in the U.S. Postal Service contract renewal. Johnson wrote in the letter that the service is the primary revenue source for the office and its rejection is “essentially a death blow” to post office services in the city.
“I don’t want to give the impression the post office will go, but it’s a lot of our revenue. I don’t know if it can stay,” said Peg Meyers, co-operator of the office.
Meyers said she told Johnson of the possible P.O. box removal and he responded with the letter.
P.O. boxes could be relocated to either office in Anna Maria or Bradenton Beach, but Johnson argued against that, saying it is not a viable solution. The Bradenton Beach post office lacks space and parking in Anna Maria is too limited, he claimed in the letter.
Inconvenience for citizens and a “burden” placed on residents with business cards, mailing addresses, stationary and brochures also was listed in defense of the contractual post office.
The Holmes Beach post office has been a contract office for nearly 40 years.
“On behalf of the residents and business owners of the city of Holmes Beach, as well as our visitors, I am asking for your help in making common sense prevail within the hierarchy of the USPS,” Johnson wrote.
The Holmes Beach post office is operated by Meyers through a contract with the U.S. Postal Service. She and husband Jack Meyers lease the location in the shopping plaza at Marina and Gulf drives and also operate Express It Cards and Gifts and a sign shop at the location.
The post offices in Anna Maria and Bradenton Beach are operated by the Postal Service.