City: Leave office alone

City officials unanimously supported folks who oppose the possible closure of the South Laguna Post Office as a disservice to the city.

The U.S. Postal Service is evaluating whether to close the branch, part of a national plan to reduce the number of post offices to help balance its budget. The City Council voted at the Dec. 1 meeting to make it clear that the facility serves all Laguna residents, not just those who live in South Laguna.

“I think each of us should contact people we have worked with in addition to our official position,” Mayor Elizabeth Pearson said. “I will approach [Rep.] John Campbell’s people and Toni [Mayor Pro Tem Iseman] might get a chance with [Rep.] Nancy Pelosi.”

Iseman sponsored the agenda item, which included her concern about the impact on the Forest Avenue branch.

“The closure will exacerbate traffic congestion and lead to further air pollution,” Iseman wrote. “The [postal service] needs to consider the entire picture and be aware of the importance of the South Laguna Post Office to the entire community.”

Traffic congestion downtown in the summer prompts many locals to drive to the South Laguna facility, which has what the Forest Avenue branch doesn’t: parking.

“It is important to stress how important the [South Laguna] post office is to the rest of Laguna,” Councilwoman Verna Rollinger said. “In the summer I always use it or if I am going south anyway.”

A closure would increase the pressure on the downtown branch.

“If they [South Lagunans] all come downtown, it will be overwhelmed.” Councilwoman Jane Egly said.

South Laguna resident Tom Osborn said the first step is to meet with the decision makers, whose identity has so far been elusive.

“I have talked to some of the people in the regional office who were deeply involved,” City Manager Ken Frank said. “I don’t have a problem setting up a meeting.”

The branch is not yet on a list targeted for closure, Frank said. But, he said, it will take a major grass-roots effort to keep it open if the decision is made to close it.

The South Laguna Civic Assn. has begun the effort, collecting signatures on a petition.

“None of us found anyone who was not adamant about keeping our post office,” said Bill Rihn, association president.

“I will be devastated if we lose it,” said Virginie Miramon, who uses the post office everyday.

However, many of the speakers at the meeting talked about the importance of the branch beyond selling stamps and mailing packages.

“We had a library, and they took that away,” said Barbara Picheny said. “They took away our ZIP code.”

She doesn’t want the same thing to happen to the post office.

“The post office is key to the personality of South Laguna,” she said.