P.O. box service at Holmes Beach threatened

HOLMES BEACH -- Service at the post office in Holmes Beach is being threatened.

According to a March 19 letter, Holmes Beach Mayor Bob Johnson sent to Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Sarasota, the U.S. Postal Service turned down a request to include the continuation of post office box services as part of the process to establish a new contract.

For 20 years, Jack Jackson and Peggy Myers have had a contract with USPS to run their mail-service business at 5343 Gulf Drive.

"Without explanation, the USPS has unilaterally decided that more than 230 active post office boxes must be relocated to one of the two government-operated post office facilities in Anna Maria at the northern end of our island, or in Bradenton Beach, at the south end of our island," Johnson wrote in his letter.

Johnson said Tuesday that he spoke with Jackson and Myers about the situation.

"It seemed like something that didn't make a whole lot of sense," he said. "I understand how bureaucracies work but, on the other hand, there's a certain amount of service that ought to be provided so I thought it important to at least question the bureacratic decision."

According to Myers, she and her business partner decided they were going to retire and turn over the business to new owners. Three weeks ago, she said they were notified by USPS about the plans for the post office boxes.

"By removing the boxes here, that removes a portion of the income," she said. "That's what we're trying to stop for that reason."

Myers said people in the area don't want to lose the access they have now.

"Holmes Beach is like the center ... it's going to be quite an inconvenience if they decide to move it," Myers said. "We're just hoping that they're not."

A sign inside the post office asks residents and visitors to write to local officials about the issue.

Although he did not hear directly from Buchanan, Johnson said he did hear that the representative's office had contacted the USPS.

In his letter, the Holmes Beach mayor said the Bradenton Beach post office facility does not have enough space to accommodate such a move, and the facility in Anna Maria may have space, but parking is limited.

"Such a relocation of the boxes will mean that, instead of merely walking to the post office to get their mail, now more than 200 residents and business owners will have to drive 40 to 50 minutes

round trip on already-heavily congested roads within this vacationer-crowded island community to whichever location the boxes wind up in," Johnson said in his letter, which was also sent to state representatives Greg Steube and Jim Boyd and Sen. Bill Galvano.

Johnson said the relocation of boxes will also create an "unnecessary burden" on both individual and business users, who also will have to send out change-of-address notices.

Don Hartsfield, a part-time resident of Holmes Beach, said he goes to the post office regularly when he's in town.

"I think it's not good," the 78-year-old said. "I think people need their post office boxes because a lot of people are only part-time and prefer to get their mail there ... I think a very important part of the post office is having the boxes."

Amaris Castillo, law enforcement/island reporter, can be reached at 941-745-7051. Follow her on Twitter @AmarisCastillo.

This story was originally published April 2, 2015 at 12:00 AM with the headline "P.O. box service at Holmes Beach threatened ."