Residents Come Together to Save Post Office

by Colleen Curry on July 29th, 2009 Comment

Freehold's fight to keep its post office continued today, as word spread that a final ruling on the office's fate would be postponed for now. We set out to see how residents were reacting downtown:

Phyllis Schwartz, left, business owner in Freehold Borough:

"I wrote letters to all the post office officials on Anita's list on Monday. A lot of people in the borough don't drive, and it's not up to the post office people to put impositions on them that there just shouldn't be.

"I'll do whatever I can to save it. I love coming into the heart of town all the time, Freehold is the hub. There should be a post office."

Ray Jarma, right, employee at the Courthouse Annex:

"The county seat should have a post office! And it should be more than two little trailers, we should have a building. They shouldn't be closing it, but building it.

"I just hope they save it, the elderly and people without cars need a place to go."

Fred Smith, left, lifelong Freehold Borough Resident:

"I'm 71, I have no transportation, and if they move the post office I will have to walk all the way there and back.

"Of course a lot of people are raising hell. They don't know yet how upset the people of Freehold are."

Sharon

Shutzer, right,  Freehold Councilwoman and Resident:

"We were taken by surprise when we found out about the possible closing, so we went to a meeting last week with post office officials, Representative Smith, Assemblywoman Casagrande and local officials.

"We spoke out loudly, adamantly and articulately to those post office people: This post office cannot close. "

Barbara Kane, left, Freehold Borough Resident and Business Owner:

"I wasn't part of the uproar on Monday, but if I have an opportunity to express my support in the future, I absolutely will.

"I use this post office all the time for my business and I would hate to drive out to Raintree. My family and I want this post office to stay open.

Kathy Kuchinski, right, Freehold Business Owner:

"As soon as I heard about this Monday I posted letters all over the internet, I've been trying to get the word out. I called some post office guy on the list and he never erturned my call--but I left a big long message for him.

"My business is here, I'm paying for a P.O. box here, and I want it open. I pay taxes for a post office, and no one is going to refund me that tax money even though I have to drive out to Raintree. The borough should have a post office."

Daniel Bach, left, Borough Resident:

"We need a post office double this size in the borough! That's what I think!"

Helen Olson, below, Freehold Borough Resident:

"I helped distribute letters to all of the senior centers-- can you imagine if they had to walk to Raintee? There's not even a sidewalk on the road, and many of them don't drive!

"We cannot let them shut down this post office, it will impact every business, law office, county building, everything. Those officials don't even know what's out here that they'd be hurting."

Do you have an opinion on the post office closing? Comment or blog here and let your voice be heard.