Kalaupapa Meeting Planned to Discuss Potential Post Office Closure

By Wendy Osher

Hawaii mail. File photo by Wendy Osher.

A public meeting will be held on Molokai on September 20, to discuss the potential closure of the Kalaupapa Post Office.

The post office is one of four in the state, and among 3,700 in the nation that are being eyed for possible shut down.  The others in Hawai’i include: the Uptown Honolulu Post Office, the Kapolei Post Office on O’ahu, and the Hanamaulu Post Office on Kaua’i.

The United States Postal Service (USPS) released the list of possible closures in July.

Today, a Senate hearing was held to examine the proposal and other legislative plans to avert a shutdown of the USPS and prevent the service from going bankrupt.

The USPS is hosting a total of four public hearings in the state.  Times and locations are as follows:

• Sept. 8:  11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Uptown Station, 1170 Nuuanu Ave # 105, Honolulu, Hawaii 96817
• Sept. 8:  5 to 7 p.m. Kapolei High School Cafeteria, 91-5007 Kapolei Parkway, Kapolei, Hawaii 96707
• Sept. 20:  11 a.m. to 1 p.m. McVeigh Social Hall, Kalaupapa National Historical Park, Kalaupapa, Hawaii 96742
• Sept. 22:  9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Hanamaulu Station, 3-4251 Kuhio Highway, Lihue, Kauai 96766

Congresswoman Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii) issued a reminder today about the upcoming meetings.  She noted that public comment can also be sent by September 30 to:  Mr. Gary Gardetto, Consumer and Industry Contact, United States Postal Service, 3600 Aolele Street, Room 112, Honolulu, HI 96820-9631.

USPS surveys were also mailed to Hawai’i residents.  The surveys must be received by the USPS by September 30, 2011.