Saltaire officials, residents want to keep post office open

The Saltaire post office will stay open at least through the summer while officials and residents figure out how to handle the volume of packages that overtakes space and overwhelms staff.

Officials in the Fire Island community said Tuesday they will host more discussions on its fate and find the best method of getting packages from the “mainland” to residents.

“It’s a charming and vital part of our sweet community,” Deputy Mayor Hillary Richard said. “Our poor postal lady is drowning in a sea of 400 boxes, all of which weigh five times what she does, and it’s really untenable.”

Operating costs have ballooned, and more public safety staffers are needed to unload packages from ferries, officials said.

Several residents at the meeting in Manhattan, where a large portion of village homeowners live during the year, questioned why officials would consider closing the post office.

“I can’t imagine, with the digital day and age, eliminating the post office now,” resident Nick Petschek said. “It seems like heading in the opposite direction of where the world is going.”

Officials said they are exploring several options, including having the village carter deliver packages to reduce storage needs at the post office. Under federal rules, village officials cannot set restrictions on what size packages the post office handles, but they can eliminate the post office by ending a lease with the U.S. Postal Service.

No board members said they want to close the post office.

“We’re trying to see if there are any solutions that exist,” Trustee Nat Oppenheimer said. “Three years ago, the post office was almost out of business. Now we’re overrun.”

Officials asked residents to cut back on large deliveries — which have included kayaks, mini-fridges, bicycles and 50-pound cases of canned goods — and buy items from the village’s only store when possible.

Resident Alison Williams said she is one of the biggest users of the post office and often orders items not available at the Saltaire Market, including cases of Pop-Tarts. She said officials cannot legislate what people order.

“It’s a personal decision,” she said. “You can’t say to the community, ‘You can’t get a case of water.’ ”

By Rachelle Blidner

rachelle.blidner@newsday.com@rachelleblidner

Rachelle Blidner covers Suffolk County government, politics and breaking news.