The U.S. Postal Service is proposing to split the four hours of retail service at the Walpole post office and leave the lobby open 24/7.
The post office would be open from 7:30-9:30 a.m. and 1:40-3:40 p.m. Monday-Friday, instead of the present schedule of 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. with a lunch break from 12:30-1 p.m. The present Saturday hours of 9 a.m. to noon would stay the same.
The change would greatly expand lobby hours, from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday-Friday and 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday to all day, every day.
Nine people, including Postal Service representative Kathleen L. Walker, post office landlord Paul Kelsey Sr., Walpole Postmaster Relief Sylvia Frey and post office customers attended a Jan. 22 meeting about the proposed changes.
Frey and some residents said they would prefer to lump the four hours together with a possible schedule of 11:45 a.m. to 3:45 p.m.
Walker said the Postal Service would consider that option, although an agency regulation appears to require an employee to be present for the morning mail delivery.
Walker also distributed the results of a community survey about options for the office. The survey was mailed to 254 Walpole residents.
The 108 people who responded to the survey overwhelmingly favored realigning office hours to other options, including closing the office or establishing a retail counter at a local business, library or town hall.
