Brighton Post Office Again Faced With Uncertain Future
As federal cost-cutting measures continue to affect just about all aspects of our lives, uncertainty also looms for five borough post offices, one of which is in our area.
Even after the United States Postal Service signed a five-year lease last year to keep the Brighton Finance Station at 3157 Coney Island Avenue open, the station is, once again, under threat of closure as, according to USPS spokesperson Darleen Reid, “Everything is on the table as far as cost-cutting strategies.”
The Daily News notes that the USPS is scrutinizing stations across the country — including the Brooklyn five: stations in Brighton Beach, Downtown Brooklyn, Weeksville and two in Bay Ridge — based on a combination of low revenue and significant loss of customers, as well as if there are any alternatives in the area (Ed: We all know what that would mean, don’t we?). The “Brooklyn five,” along with more than 3,600 others around the nation, will all be under review for the coming five months.
State Senator Marty Golden, whose district is served by two of the “Brooklyn five,” issued the following letter to Postmaster General and Chief Executive Officer Patrick R. Donahue:
I am writing to you today in regards to the proposed closures of two stations that service my district, The Ovington Station, located at 6803 4th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11220 and the Brighton Finance Station, located at 3157 Coney Island Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11235.
As a State Senator who has been a proponent of fiscal responsibility, I understand the need to work within you budget and meet new demands with less. That being said, I believe that removing service from areas that have both an increase in population and a large senior population serves neither the people in my community nor your objective.
I believe a more thorough review of the operations of these two stations would encourage you to implement cost savings at other levels of your
budget.
I respectfully ask that these two stations be removed from any closure list.
Regards,
Martin J. Golden – State Senator
Either way, we will not know about any decisions to close some or all of the stations, which would save the USPS $200 million per year, until after the New Year. Sheepshead Bites will keep you apprised of all new developments as they relate to the Brighton Post Office.
