THE ECONOMY:

Residents decry possible loss of post office

Councilwoman says loss would be damaging to elderly, businesses

Councilwoman Lois Tarkanian, center, speaks Monday in front of the Garside Post Office in response to an announcement that some post offices are being considered for closure because of a decrease in workload. Former Las Vegas City Councilman Michael McDonald is at left.

By Jinae West

Monday, Aug. 3, 2009 | 2:20 p.m.

Garside Post Office

U.S. Postal Service

Las Vegas City Councilwoman Lois Tarkanian said today that losing the Garside Post Office in her district would make it difficult for senior citizens and residents who rely on public transportation to get to the Post Office. Local businesses would also be affected, she said.

Tarkanian held a news conference in front of the Garside Post Office, 1801 S. Decatur Blvd., in response to an announcement that some post offices are being considered for closure because of a decrease in workload. About 15 residents gathered Monday to hear Tarkanian and express their own concerns.

"At a time when we're fighting the losing of our supermarkets and other businesses, we can't afford to lose this post office, which is so important to us," she said.

Tarkanian, who represents Ward 1, urged constituents to fill out a survey to voice their opinions to the U.S. Postal Service. Once the Postal Service obtains the surveys, it will make a decision, she said.

The other locations being considered for closure are the Desert Inn Retail Unit, 24787 Desert Inn Road; Huntridge Station, 3115 E. Olive St.; King Station, 1801 N. Martin Luther King Road; and the Strip Station, 3100 S. Industrial Road.

Tarkanian said she knows the Postal Service is trying to save money and said it would be more fair to go from six to five days of mail service across the board so one community wouldn't have to suffer from a closure.

Resident Skye Campbell said several stores already have closed in the area. Shutting down the Garside Post Office, she said, would only worsen the situation.

"This (post office) has always been a central hub. We're not a poor district, and now to take out our post office, I don't even know where the next closest post office is," Campbell said.

She added: "It's not like this place is empty. Every time I come here, it's busy."

Similarly, Randall Brown, who said he heard about the survey on Sunday, said he wonders if anyone who is considering closing Garside has seen the full parking lot or long lines.

"It's not like it's an abandoned post office," he said. "It's always busy. It's not a matter of one of these things just sitting out empty that nobody uses."

He said it would be an inconvenience to drive to the next closest post office to have to do something as simple as buying stamps. Closing the post office would just be another loss for a community that already has seen its share of vacancies, he said.

"It's just a further degradation. It's just part of a scheme," Brown said. "It's slowly unraveling it seems in Ward 1. Everyone's moving out to the suburbs, but you know, we still live here."

The survey is available through Loretta Kirkpatrick, manager of consumer affairs for the Postal Service, at 361-9204 or Tarkanian's office at 229-2299. All forms must be turned in by 5 p.m. Tuesday.

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By STV

Aug. 3, 2009

3:06 p.m.

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What's up in that picture? Is that Michael McDonald in the black suit standing to the side of Tarkanian?
By kevjandon

Aug. 3, 2009

3:59 p.m.

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Here is the real question:

Will those residents be willing to pay more for postage to keep the facility open?

This is simple business. Sometime you have to close a store.
By DTJ

Aug. 3, 2009

3:59 p.m.

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This is just the beginning, gang. Las Vegas is going to get smaller and a lot more places are going to be shuttered. (Though if we're lucky, the flea-bag flea market next door to the Garside Post Office will also close down. Both the tenants and the customers deserve better.)
By chazbean

Aug. 3, 2009

4:26 p.m.

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Hello. Go to the Summerlin Post Office and it's always busy! The post office is too small. How about cutting service on Saturday? We don't need the Post office to be open 6 days a week.And the government wants to manage health care!!
By 2zero

Aug. 3, 2009

4:38 p.m.

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McDonald...LOL, what is Republic worried about the loss of trash collection business?
By jinaewest

Aug. 3, 2009

4:47 p.m.

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STV, former Las Vegas City Councilman Michael McDonald did attend the news conference today. His name has been added to the photo caption.
By mred

Aug. 3, 2009

6:18 p.m.

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The City Stops have post offices that are open 24/7 very little wait, no extra fees...of course they don't have p o boxes. There is one on decater south of trop.
By DTJ

Aug. 3, 2009

9:55 p.m.

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Garside P.O.'s gotta go! Garside P.O.'s gotta go!
BTW, looks like my own P.O., Huntridge Station, is also on the chopping block. So be it. The U.S. Postal Service is better run than most people would like to admit. It survives own budget. Though it supposedly has a monopoly on first class mail, FedEx and UPS do compete by delivering "documents." But those two charge obscene amounts for that. And the USPS actually beats FedEx and UPS, hands down, when it comes to parcel delivery rates, too. I never use the private companies; I know where the value is. And as for first class mail, how can you complain? Who else is going to come to your house, pick up your letters, and hand-deliver them ANYWHERE within the nation -within a few days- for 44! A few post offices in a receding city like Las Vegas have to be closed from time to time. Buy your stamps online or at the supermarket. Senior Citizens: just plan your occasional trip to the next nearest post office. We can't keep Garside open for just 15 people.
By sigtwenty

Aug. 5, 2009

11:33 a.m.

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there is only ONE post office in the valley that needs to be closed, and its the silverado branch, 455 E pebble rd. that location has employees that deserve to be on an unemployment line. they suck as human beings let alone postal workers. that branch makes me drive to that sunset road location just to mail something out because every time ive walked into 455 E pebble location i get some postal worker that wants to start acting a fool. one day...just one day some customer is gonna do the right thing and reach over their counter and strangle the putz that is mouthing off something retarded. it wont be me i promise that much as i will never go in there ever again. that place should be closed, bulldozed, burned, and all employees there should be shipped to abu dhabi and forced to sell stamps to the natives. they plain suck