Community members expressed mixed feelings in regards to the decision by the United States Postal Service to consolidate Charleston’s postal branch retail operations to their Windsor Road location.

By mid-November, Charleston’s Post Office, located at 320 Sixth St. near the Square, will be consolidated to 667 Windsor Road, located near the Coles County Fairgrounds. about a mile drive from the current location.

Calvin Smith, a Charleston resident for the past 46 years, expressed concern over the consolidation to the Windsor Road branch.

He said the current location is a historic building, with many people hoping to preserve it.

“It seems to me for the sake of saving money in the short run, it will do damage to the Postal Service overall,” he said. “There has to be a compromise between the two.”

Smith said he also is against the change because of the condition of the roads and sidewalks near Windsor Road, citing them as unsafe to both pedestrians and drivers.

“I think someone should take the walk there,” he said. “It’s narrow and unsafe. There’s limited space.”

Elisa Roberts, secretary for Charleston’s Historic Preservation Commission, said the Preservation Commission is looking for protection of the current Postal Service building.

“I understand why they’re doing it. Our concern is toward the building so they don’t demolish it,” she said.

Roberts said under the Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the city must publicize the sale of the building for two years for someone to aiming to preserve it; after that waiting period, the building can be bought for commercial purposes, including demolition.

Michael Phundstien, manager of the 618, 619 and 625 postal area codes, said there is currently a commercial buyer looking to purchase the building.

With two operating post office facilities in Charleston, Phundstien said the costs have become too high for both to be functioning.

“In a town the size of Charleston, that’s expensive,” he said.

Phundstien cited other towns comparable in size and mail business to Charleston, such as Mattoon and Paris, only having one post office facility as a cost-saving mechanism. He said the Postal Service is currently looking to follow their lead.

“We’re now looking for functionality,” he said.

Mayor John Inyart attended the meeting and said he understood the reason for the consolidation as a way to cut costs.

“Frankly, I’m surprised it didn’t happen four or five years ago,” he said. “I don’t know how they can afford to do both.”

However, Phundstien said Charleston will still have a post office with the same services provided now with no compromise in quality.

He said the Post Office Box section at the will remain open at the current location.

Phundstien said the change will largely affect personnel consolidation. He said no workers will be laid off; their services will just be merged.

“We’re looking at better and efficient use of resources,” he said.

Phundstien addressed the concern of the distance of the Windsor Road branch.

“In hindsight, it would have been better to move it closer to town,” he said.

Phundstien said they are going to consolidate the use of employees to the Windsor location.

Although some meeting attendees suggested renovating the current building to meet the needs, Phundstien said remodeling would only further add to the costs.

He said the building currently has asbestos, lead paint and other safety hazards that, while safe to work in, would cause risk and would prevent cost-effectiveness.

With the Postal Service $10 billion in debt and their maximum debt acquired at a $15 billion cap, Phundstien said the entire Service is examining all options to cut costs.

The United States Postal Service is currently looking at eliminating 252 mail-processing facilities.

Phundstien said the Postal Service is not allowed to raise rates above inflation.

Phundstien said since the 1970s, none of the tax dollars have gone to support the Postal service. He said the Postal Service receives its revenue through income fees, such as the 44 cent stamp and packages.

“We are not a money maker for the government,” he said.

He said they have proposed to raise the cost of a stamp by one cent, for a total of 45 cents per stamp, to keep up with the current inflation rate.

Phundstien said for now, the Postal Service has to take all measures necessary to ensure they do not ultimately close.

“We have to take steps now to meet immediate financial need,” he said.

Sara Hall can be reached at 581-2812 or [email protected].