For over four months the residents in the city of Poplarville have been without access to the interior of the post office, which has been closed due to roof damage.

On Sunday, Jan. 2 at 4 a.m. a portion of the roof in the Poplarville post office collapsed due to termite damage. The historic building was constructed in 1941, according to a letter drafted by Mayor Louise Smith.

Since the incident, the post office has remained closed. Since Jan, 2 the USPS Postal Service has provided residents with a Mobile Retail Unit, and access to creating Click-N-Ship shipping labels and paying for postage online.

 

On May 11, Poplarville Mayor Louise Smith sent a letter to the Senator Roger Wicker’s office to request help.

“It is now five months after the post office has closed and our citizens are becoming more and more dissatisfied with the services and accommodations we are receiving. We have been given no timeline or plan of action for restoration of normal services or when the facility will be reopened or better facilities will be provided. Current operations limit accessibility of services for elderly and handicapped citizens. Also, I have concern for the working conditions of our postal workers. They work in small cramped quarters that are unsafe in our area due to unpredictable weather patterns,” Smith said in the letter.

Smith’s letter also requests assistance from Wicker’s office in helping the city resolve the current situation by securing, “Better services, adequate field facilities, better working conditions and improved communication until the federal government can rebuild or renovate our post office.”

 

 

 

U.S Postal Service Communications Programs Specialist Debbie Fetterly stated in an emailed written response to the Item that, “The Postal Service continues to work to identify a replacement location and is in the early stage of that process.”

Alabama-Mississippi District USPS Spokesperson Debra Jean Fetterly issued the following statement to the Item via email, “The safety and well-being of our employees and our customers is of the utmost importance to the U.S. Postal Service. Currently, the Poplarville Post Office, located on 301 South Main Street, remains uninhabitable, due to safety issues that include a termite infestation. The Postal Service continues to work to identify a replacement location and is in the early stage of that process.  At this time, retail and Post Office Box services are available in a Mobile Retail Unit, located on the Poplarville Post Office parking lot. We will continue to accommodate all customers.  Our employees are committed to providing the best service possible, even under these unique circumstances and we value their dedication. We also appreciate our customers’ patience as we work toward a resolution and will continue to provide updates as soon as additional information becomes available.”