Future uncertain for Nemacolin’s post office
NEMACOLIN – A dozen people gathered Monday morning at a rally outside the temporarily closed post office in Nemacolin hoping to find answers.
Dave Plavi of Nemacolin was one of the first to arrive outside the building where a small piece of paper taped to the doors was the only form of notification that the residents of the area received. He was told that the office was closed down due to possible black mold within the building.
Tad Kelley, a postal service spokesman, said that an air quality test is being scheduled for the building and that they are working exclusively with the building’s owner on this issue. They hoped to expedite the process as soon as the service provider can conduct the tests, he said.
“We are in communication with the building owner and look forward to the issues being corrected,” Kelley said.
Plavi came with a petition Monday to send to postal representatives in Waynesburg and Pittsburgh to have the local post office reopened immediately.
“We came to get service restored,” Plavi said. “We need to know what is going on.”
Many people speculated that a representative from the postal service would come to explain why the post office was closed, although Kelley said they knew nothing about the rally, nor did they plan to send someone to speak to the crowd.
“We had no commitment like that at all,” Kelley said. “I am not able to determine how the group or person organizing the rally believed a postal representative would be there.”
Several people said their main concern is the age of the local residents and that many of them receive prescriptions through the mail. They said they do not have the ability to get to Carmichaels, where customers now must go to pickup their mail.
Sarah Murawski of Nemacolin waved down cars passing by to get more signatures on the petition. All of them signed.
“People always think someone else will do something about it,” Murawski said. “So many people are complaining and have problems with this. They need to be out here and be a part of this.”
During the rally, two people came walking by who were still unaware that the post office had closed. One woman was shocked by the news and thought about her 86-year-old neighbor who cannot make it to the Carmichaels post office, and about her paychecks that come through the mail.
“We apologize for any inconvenience to our customers,” Kelley said. “In any situation like this our first concern is always the safety or our customers and employees.”
Until the air quality test results have been found, the buildings will remain closed and mail for the area will continue to run through the Carmichaels post office.