CHERAW - The U.S. Postal Service is now considering, once again, consolidating their retail and Post Office to the Postal Carrier Annex facility, located on the corner of Hwy. 9 and Calvary Road, according to a notice received by Cheraw Town Administrator Bill Taylor.

According to the notice, In 1996, the Postal Service previously discussed moving all of its operations from the downtown Cheraw area to the new facility on Hwy. 9, when it was first built. However, at that time, local leaders were able to persuade Postal officials of the importance of having the post office in the downtown area, which prompted them to agree to maintain both facilities.

Cheraw's Market Street Post Office Supervisor, Rachel Williams, said on Friday that the decision stems from Washington, D.C. down to the District office in Columbia because only Congress can close a Post Office.

"The U.S. Post Office sent out letters to everyone with a Post Office box, along with a survey form for them to fill out and send back. From what I understand, the results of the survey will have a lot to do with the decision of relocating or not," said Williams.

U.S. Post Office Review Coordinator, Craig Greer, in Columbia said, "We were required to review every station and branch in the greater South Carolina District as well as nationwide. We want everyone to know that the decision has not been finalized but is in the proposed review stage. "The last thing we want to do is to close that beautiful historic facility. However, with the status of the economy we are forced to look at making some changes. We had a $7.1 billion loss shortfall this year. A couple of weeks ago we were not sure if we were going to make our payroll." Greer also stressed, "If the other location is not handicap accessible already, then we would do what we call a "build-out" so that it will accommodate those who may need that type of access." He also added that if the Annex facility were harder for people to get into, then that concern would also be addressed.

Taylor also stressed in the notice mentioned above, that the Town Council certainly understands that the Postal Service is looking at cutting its cost especially in this down economy, however; there remains a concern of it losing its presence in the central business district, plus the fact that there is presently no easy pedestrian access to the facility on Hwy. 9. This could make it very difficult for our citizens who have no regular means of transportation and who rely on the Post Office for their mail services and buying money orders, Taylor wrote in a memorandum to the Cheraw Town Council and Cheraw Mayor Scott Hunter. Greer and other Postal representatives have scheduled a community meeting to be held on Wednesday, Oct. 7, at the Cheraw Community Center, beginning at 6 p.m. to discuss this proposed change.