CORAL, Mich. (WZZM) - Despite cutting $12 billion in labor costs over the past four years, the United States Postal Service says it expects to face a deficit of between $8 and $9 billion in fiscal year 2011.
As a result, Tuesday the U.S. Postmaster General announced a nationwide restructuring plan that will provide businesses with new opportunity, but it will come at the expense of rural post offices, including several here in West Michigan.
Coral is a small village in Montcalm County. It has seen some hardships in recent years, but one thing has always remained the same - the post office.
"We have been slated for closure so [the Postal Service] is going through the review process," said Amber Chorak, who is the officer in charge at the Coral post office.
"I have worked here for ten years; I don't want to see myself having to go any place else," added Chorak. "I like my customers and this community, but I understand at the same tome business is business."
If the Coral office closes, residents who don't have a mailbox may have to travel to Howard City to get their mail.
Gay Wood has been delivering mail to Coral residents for the past 33 years, and in this small community, she's not just the mail lady.
"I've been invited to some graduations and some weddings," Wood said, referring to how close she's become to many of the residents along her route.
But, after more that three decades on the job, she understands that things change.
"Two years ago they moved me to Howard City, and they said at the time [closing the Coral post office] would not happen," said Wood. "But, the economy has changed."
Coral is among 3,700 small-town post offices nationwide that will be studied for possible closure.
Greg Chanski is the Greater Michigan District manager of post office operations. He says the study into the Coral location actually began months ago.
"Over 40% of our revenue comes in now over the internet and alternate access channels other than the brick and mortar post offices," said Chanski.
So, according to Chanski, the Postal Service is looking at replacing rural post offices, "with what we call the 'village post office' concept which will allow people to pick up their post office needs at places where they do other business, such as a bank, grocery or convenience store," added Chanski.
"I have three children all in their 20's and none of them know where the local post office is," said Chanski. "Whenever they need to do business, they do it over the internet. We have to start meeting people where they go rather than have them come to us."
Chanski says Coral residents will find out within the next 60 days whether their post office will be closing.
The post offices in West Michigan that could potentially close are:
- Coral & McBride, both in Montcalm County
- Idlewild in Lake County
- Parchment in Kalamazoo County
- Ledyard office in downtown Grand Rapids
By Brent Ashcroft