Committee organized, attorney in place to save Muddy Post Office
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[A committee has organized to campaign to save the Muddy Post Office.
Four of the eight members met Monday at Muddy Village Hall around a table covered with petitions, flyers, materials from the Association of United States Postal Lessors and materials from the National Association of Postmasters of the United States.
The packets of material resemble field manuals explaining the procedures of closing post offices and ways to save them.
Frances Bertino asked which legislators letters would be addressed to or faxed to. Her brother, Village Administrator John Molinarolo said they would be sent to as many legislators as possible.
The primary talking point is economics and the rule a post office cannot be closed simply because it is not self-sustaining. Molinarolo pointed out U.S. Code Title 39 that applies to the post office.
Section 101 (b) requires the Postal Service to "provide a maximum degree of effective and regular postal services to areas of rural areas, communities and small towns where post offices are not self-sustaining" and prohibits the Postal Service from closing a post office "solely for operating at a deficit."
Jenny Billman believes there will be little financial savings in closing the post office.
"I don't see how they are saving money," Billman said.
Billman quizzed the region's postal manager at a meeting regarding the post office in September.
"I'm not convinced it will save a lot of money and she couldn't provide justification for it," Billman said.
A Web site is in the works and flyers are to be put up on area bulletin boards. Committee members also intend to be out asking people to sign a petition agreeing "the operation and maintenance of the Post Office in Muddy is necessary for economic development, community convenience and service, and historical preservation."
Among other items the committee may use to gain legislative support regard the tourism aspect of the post office. The old Muddy Post Office Museum is one of the smallest post offices in the country and sits across the street from the current post office. Those wanting information on the museum have easy access to the postmaster. The museum and post office are adjacent to the state operated Tunnel Hill Bike Trail with the Muddy section of the trail added just this year. Also nearby is the old concrete Muddy tipple which is one of the most photographed man-made Saline County landmarks and Muddy is also part of a Southern Illinois wine trail. Also nearby is the historic Greek Orthodox Church.
Vince Molinarolo believes the fact the post office is within an incorporated village should also work in its favor.
Currently, the Postal Service has placed Muddy and Herod Post Office in the "review for closure" category. Should the agency decide the post offices should be closed there is an appeal procedure.
"If this thing goes down we are going to appeal this thing," John Molinarolo said.
He said an attorney is ready to go to work on the appeal.
John Molinarolo hopes the committee's efforts can benefit other small post offices facing review for closure.
"We need to get all of them together because everybody could be next," he said.
The committee does not have a regular meeting time, but Molinarolo invites people interested in helping to contact him at (618) 252-4294 or (618) 926-2542.
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