Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Federal Facilities topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Placerville post office lease negotiations prompt county to offer support to keep tenant in town
Summary
Owners of the Placerville post office urged San Miguel County commissioners May 28 to help bridge a gap with U.S. Postal Service rent expectations; commissioners offered to draft a letter stressing the post office's community importance and to engage congressional staff if needed.
Property owners of the Placerville post office told San Miguel County commissioners May 28 that they are negotiating lease renewal terms with the U.S. Postal Service and face a significant gap between the USPS's proposed rent and local expectations.
Owners asked the county to advocate for continued postal service in Placerville. Commissioners said they would draft a letter emphasizing the post office's importance to the community and suggested copying congressional staff and USPS contacts to press for a solution.
Why it matters: A staffed postal location in Placerville provides delivery, retail postal services and a public point of contact in a rural community. Loss of a local post office can affect businesses, residents and emergency communications.
What owners said: Matthew Blackman and Harley (last name provided in meeting packet) told commissioners they purchased the Placerville post office building and have been negotiating a lease renewal with USPS. They said the rental figures used by the USPS representative rely on comparisons to other rural offices that do not reflect Placerville's local market. One owner said the USPS's current renewal offer includes a broker fee and would increase rent substantially; they asked commissioners for help in communicating the community's interest in keeping the post office in town.
What commissioners said: Commissioners agreed a letter from the board highlighting the post office's community value could help. They declined to wade into detailed rent calculations, saying federal lease rules may limit local modifications, but offered to press the case with congressional staff and the USPS leasing specialist. Commissioner Brown and Commissioner Waring discussed drafting the letter and copying the local congressional delegation; staff noted Sen. Bennet's staff and other federal contacts were available at upcoming local meetings.
Next steps: Commissioners said they would draft a short letter stressing Placerville's need for a staffed post office and coordinate with town leaders and the property owners. They also discussed using contact opportunities with congressional staff visiting the area to raise the issue.
