GARY | Businesses and residents in the Miller area have come to rely on their local post office branch and don't want it to close, the president of a citizens group said.
"That facility is heavily used," said Douglas Grimes, president of the Miller Citizens Corp. "If it were to close, people would have to travel significant distances for services."
The Miller postal station, at 518 Hancock St., is one of four Gary area branches on a list of 700 potential candidates for closing or consolidation as the Postal Service considers how to battle financial problems.
The list includes the Brunswick branch, 5325 W. 5th Ave., and the downtown Finance Station, 1490 Broadway, both in Gary, and a branch at 2901 Central Ave. in nearby Lake Station.
Postal officials sent the list to the independent Postal Regulatory Commission for review.
Some offices on the list could be closed, while others could have some of their functions consolidated with other offices.
The Postal Service has been struggling with a sharp decline in mail volume as people and businesses switch to e-mail both for personal contact and bill paying.
The agency is facing a nearly $7 billion potential loss this fiscal year despite a 2-cent increase in the price of stamps in May, cuts in staff and the removal of some collection boxes.
Grimes said the Miller citizens group "has taken steps to let our representatives know we do not want to see (the Miller branch) closed. We're seeking a meeting with the local postmaster to see what can be done about it."
State Rep. Vernon Smith, D-Gary, said the possibility of closing even some Gary post office branches could be an ominous sign.
The number of driver's license branches in the city was downsized in recent years, Smith said, and the same thing could happen to post office branches.
"We're afraid it could leave the largest city in the area without postal service," Smith said. "People just chip away until they take it all. We need to stop the erosion before it starts."
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
