USPS Considers Closing 23 Idaho Post Offices

The United States Postal Service announced Tuesday it may close 3,700 post offices around the country, 23 of which are in Idaho.

Nothing is for certain, but many post offices in rural communities are on the chopping block as the USPS attempts to balance its budget.

Patricia Whitaker has served as postmaster of the Hamer post office since 1993.

As people have moved to the internet to pay their bills, she’ll admit business has steadily gone down.

“We have seen a decrease in the amount of first class mail that we receive,? Whitaker said. ?But as far as packages we still have a good market for that especially at Christmas time.”

And Whitaker said with 112 stops and 79 P.O. boxes that’s reason enough to stay open.

“The post office is such a hub,? Whitaker said. ?Everybody comes here for everything.”

USPS has proposed moving some of its offices into other local businesses.

Twenty-five years ago the post office was in the Hamer General Store but now that the store is closed, there is no where for a village type post office to even go.

In Hamer there’s only the church, the school and Ron’s Tire Store.

“Our community is already minimal and I can’t see the tire store selling postage stamps,” Whitaker said.

Nearly 20 miles to the next post office customers said they don’t want to see it go.

“I think it would be sad not to have our post office in Hamer,? Bonnie Wehausen said. ?Hamer is a very small town and the post office is about all we have.”

“I don’t want it to close, we need it,? Jana Gutierrez said. ?You can’t close it.”

Some other post offices in the area listed to be studied include the Bannock office in Pocatello, Arbon office in Bannock County and the Parker office in Fremont County.

For the complete list of all the offices being looked at visit about.usps.com/news/electronic-press-kits/expandedaccess/statelist.htm.