Middle Gives Stamp of Approval To Build Whitesboro Post Office

WHITESBORO — After nearly eight years of trying, it appears Middle Township is finally close to terms with the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) for a new community post office here.
Township officials announced at their July 2 meeting that it would be accepting bids for construction of an addition to the Martin Luther King Center on Main Street to serve as a post office for ZIP code 08252.
Administrator James Alexis said the township is working on the agreement process with the Postal Service’s regional real estate director.
“Accepting bids will be the first step in the process of determining the monthly rental fee the postal service will pay the township for the space,” he explained. “When we determine the cost of construction, the rental fee can be set.”
Around 830 Whitesboro residents have been relegated to a makeshift post office in a 12 by 57 foot temporary trailer on the King Center grounds since former Postmaster Jeanette Richardson retired after 34 years of service in 2001.
Prior to that, the office was in the rented lobby of her home on Route 9.
The USPS currently pays the township $200 a month for the trailer space.
Since then, the postal service and the township have been negotiating on a new location for the small community post office.
In 2001, the postal service rescinded the $279,000 it had appropriated for the project due to budget cutbacks. At that time, all planned construction was canceled.
Then in 2004, after hard work from local officials, the project was funded again, but again it was cancelled in 2005.
Alexis, who’s been in negotiations with the USPS from the beginning, said there was no foot dragging on either the township’s or federal government’s side delaying the project.
“There were two major national events that hampered the project at different times,” he explained.
In 2001, it was the tragedy of Sept. 11, in 2005, Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast.
At those times, many government agencies including the Postal Service were forced to stop all new projects and Whitesboro got lost in the mix, Alexis explained.
He said the township stayed in contact with postal officials proposing different possible sites, but began working on a deal for an office at the King Center around 24 months ago.
Alexis said, after this long search the township thought this would be the best location for the office.
Bids for the proposed 500-square-foot addition will be taken by the township on Aug. 7 at 10 a.m. in the second floor conference room of the Municipal Building on Mechanic Street and a pre-bid meeting will be held July 24 at the King Center at 10 a.m.
In related news, work on the new Court House post office has already begun on the site of a former car dealership next to Clary’s Kountry Korner on Route 9.
Regarding the Whitesboro office, Alexis agreed that many community residents are sure to be excited that the project is in the process.
“This will give Whitesboro a permanent, long-lasting postal appearance,” he said.
Contact Hart at (609) 886-8600 Ext 35 or at: jhart@cmcherald.com