Secretary of the CommissionPostal Regulatory Commission90L New York Avenue NWSuite 200 West TowerWashington" DC 20268

September 20,20LL

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Dear Madam Secretary:

Regarding the Decision by the US Postal Service to close the Etura New York Post Office.

W-e, members of the Efura CommuniÇ Association Board of Directors and other residents ofEtna, are writing to appeal the determination by the USPS to close the Etna New York PostOffice, docket number Í362780 -13A62, and request the Postal Regulatory Com-rLission toreview this decision. We feel this decision was made arbitrarily and long before any input wasgathered fronn the comrrrunity itself. We feel the deterrrination was made without regard tothe best interests of the community, and was based entirely on the economic concerns of thePostal Service in direct opposition to the Postal Regulatory Act of 1970. We feel that theconsolidation of the Etna Post office is unsupported by substantial evidence on the record.

1. While the total office receipts have declined since Fiscal Year 2010, it should be pointed outthat the most significant drop in revenue took place after the retirement of the postmaster andher replacementby temporary officers-in-charge. The Postal Service listed the posfunastervacancy as a reason for closure in their final detenrLination. Howeveq, the responsibility fornot appointing a new posfunaster in a timely fashion rrests entirely with the USPS, renderingthe closure action prejudicial and arbitrary. We rrnderstand the financial difficulties of the USPostal Service and today's economic realities, however we feel dosing a small post office thesize of Ehra's is akin to trying to lighten a jet airliner by emptying the ash trays.According tothe National League of Posùnasters in a Business Wire article of September 15, 20L1,, ruralpost offices comprise about 0.7% of the USPS total expenses.

2. Ameeting was arranged with postal officials at the office on May 5,2AIL. There was nosupport whatsoever for dosure of the post office from the 32 Etra residents andrepresentatives of the local business community in attendance. Questionnaires were mailed toL59 residents, and of those returned expressing an opíniorç the count was 35 opposed to theclosing to 6 favorable responses. Onluly 18, the Postal Service received a petition supportingthe retention of the post office from 260 arearesidents, a number exceeding to an impertinentextent the number of questionnaires mailed.

3. We are also concemed about the lack of dear communications regarding alternate services:

1- Exactly which post office ra/ill offer post office boxes for those that will be lost in Efira anC

at what cost? No input from the lthaca post office, which serves half of the Etra communiÇ,has beenmentioned.2- Rural cariers will not provide the 9:30 a.m, mail pickup time that customers now have atthe current post ofhce, a problem forbusiness sustomers and residents who need maildelivered in a timely fashion.& There seems to be no concern that the Freeville post office cur:rently closes at4:45 p.m. andnot at 5:30 p.m. as in Ehra causing another inconvenience for customers that work regularhours.4- No mention was made of changes in box rental fees. A portion of the boxes in Etra areprovided at no charge to some customers and there was no mention of continuation of thisservice.5- There is no provision for the inclusion of both Ithaca and Freeville rural delivery routesthat curently service the Etna Community.6- We have a number of senior citizens who are within walking distance of the post officenow, but will not be if it is closed. We also have a concerrr for those who do not have internetaccess, ca¡not take advantage of the USPS online services, and require assistance with parcelmailing money orders, and special needs that a small post office provides.7-We feel that customers concerrts over mail security have notbeen fully addressed.Mailboxes in the area alæ subject to theft, vandalísm, and damage by snowplows, traffic andthe vagaries of the weather.

4. While Eùra has no retail storefronts other than the post office itselt the determination bythe USPS that there is no business activity here is misleading or flatly incorrect. Apartial listof businesses and organtzaltons that use the Etra post office on a regular basis would include:The Boy Scouts of America, Sea Scouts, Academic Book Source, Phoenix Books, TompkinsWeekly, Ithaca Child, Gary Rith Pottery, Bo's Bones, Crackerman of Et14 Autoworks, CornellUniversity, National Audubon Society, NCSC (Terri Vantine),I¡Vîldtree Herbs (HeatherMarshall), Hawkeye's Flerbs, Tabby Bookkeeping, CNY Landscapíng, Etra ComrrrunityChurch, Etna CommunityAssociation" FSM Sharpening, EfuraFire Company, ]. Lowery Co, CMark Enterprises, Bill Lowe Welding If Oniy Farm, Creel¡¡¡ood Aparhnents, and Scrub OakFarms. The closing proposal stated there were no churches or schools nearby, appar.entlyfailing to notice that the post office shares itsparking lot with the Etura Community Church.

community identity.

6. While the determination to close the Etna post office induded an annual savingsbreakdown induding the postnaster salary and benefits and the fi4,480 annual leaseagreemenf there was no itemized listing of the cost of replacement service of fi22,713, whichwould have to be an estimate since the numbrr of postal customers thatwould opt forruraldelivery has not yet been determined. hr addition, the Postal Service will not be eliminatingany positions directly,buttransferring employees to other postal facilities. Post office boxescontinue to be the rnost secure and, efíicient method of mail distribûtion for a small

community, a single postal employee requiring cnly a matter of a few minutes to distributeincoming mail as opposed to the hor:rs it would require for a rural car:rier even under idealtrafhc and weather conditions.

7.Inbnef, we feel that the USPS has underestimated the impact on the Etna community, notconsidered the prevailing opposition to the dosing of the post office, and overestimated theacfual annual savings. It is clear to us that the Postal Service has disrega¡ded both the letterand spirit of the law in making its determination to dose the post office based solely onfinancial considerations. We would rerquest that the Postal Regulatory Commission reviewthis determination and either remand it for further consideratíon, suspend or dismiss italtogether.

Thalk you for your attention to this matter.

The Etna Community Association Board of Directors

Q-r¡-zo¡1Fra¡k H. President

Crockett, Treasurer

Searles, Member

Customer

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MRED PHELANÐISTRICT MANAGERLTNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE30 KARNERROADALBANY NY 12288

PLEASE FIND ENCLOSED A COPY OF TI{E PETITION TT1AT I1AS BEEN IN THEETNA COMMUNITY HALL VESTIBULE SINCE LATE APRIL 2011. THIS IS ASF{ARED SPACE WITH THE ETNA POST OFFTCE. TI{E SIGNATTIRES OF

CUSTC]..4trPS .t}IÐ INTERESTED INDTVIDUATS ARE ALSO ENCLOSED ABOUT2vT,THE PETITION IS STILL AVAILABLE FOR SIGNING.

THIS REFrtÈ,SEìiîS .r-iiST Ä Sìvi¡rLL NiJ-tuiBER OF PEOPLE THAT ARECONCFB}TED ABDIjT TIJE POSSIBILITY OF CLOSL\]G TI{IS OFFICE. FThIAISA CONIENIENT MAILING AND DELIVERY FACITITY AND A HUB IN OURCOMMI.INITY. PLEASE CONSIDER THE CUSTOMERS THAT WILL BEDIS|LAC|Ð ÅÌ.lD lIåYE TO TRÅ'"'L"' TO CBT,{ÏJ S|RüCE iF ETÌi,â. iSCLOSED.

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