Tariffville Post Office Has Some Life Left

Town officials and members of the Tariffville Village Association received notice Thursday from U.S. Rep. Christopher S. Murphy’s office that the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) has opened an appeal for the Tariffville Post Office.

Individuals who sent letters to the PRC will receive a letter explaining the process from here. First Selectman Mary Glassman, and Theresa Salls, a member of the Tariffville Village Association, will receive a letter stating that their appeal request was accepted. They will also receive a form 61 to file the facts to support their appeal. Everyone else who sent in comments will receive a letter stating that they should file their comments on PRC's website so that they may be included in the formal record.

Any individual who doesn't have access to the Internet can write back to the commission and request a waiver from filing electronically and their comments will be included. (See address at end of the article.)

“I am delighted and encouraged to hear that they have accepted our appeal,” said Deputy First Selectman John K. Hampton. “This shows that our efforts to save our post office have not been in vain and that they have heard us loud and clear. The village of Tariffville is united in this effort and we will not back down.”

On Aug. 9, the U.S. Postal Service issued a “final determination” to close the Tariffville Post Office, but residents and town officials appealed the decision.

After an emergency suspension in February due to structural concerns with the building at 39 Main St. — the building was later deemed safe to reoccupy — the U.S. Postal Service moved out and did not reopen a branch in Tariffville. The 165 post office boxes and all equipment were removed from the location. The post office boxes are now in the main post office at 932 Hopmeadow St., which is 3 miles away. Residents can have delivery to their homes with a mailbox.

Since February, residents have been fighting to save their post office. There was a meeting with Postal Service officials in April, a petition, letter writing, comments on the proposal, survey responses and a rally in July.

Town officials have also been involved in the efforts to save the Tariffville Post Office, as have U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal and U.S. Rep. Chris Murphy.

• To request a waiver from filing electronically write to: The Postal Regulatory Commission, 901 New York Ave. NW, Suite 200, Washington DC 20268-000l.
• To file comments electronically with the PRC, go to http://www.prc.gov/prc-pages/filing-online/login.aspx
• On the left side of the screen, click on "Need an Account?"
• Under temporary account, click on "apply online"
• Fill in all of the required information and click on "submit application"
• You will now have a temporary account, which is valid for 10 days.
• Click on "Create Filing Record"
• From this page you may upload a word document or pdf of your comments. The docket number is A2011-80.
• When ready click on "Submit Filing Record"