Courier gets action-Post Office reverses hours cut

Here is some good news for patrons of the Forest Hills Post Office.
Following an article in The Queens Courier’s April 20th edition, and after communications between Congressman Anthony Weiner and the Postmaster of Flushing, the branch’s original hours have been restored.
“It was your call and dogged reporting that prompted us to get involved again,” said Weiner.
As of Monday, April 24, postal customers once again got service between the hours of 7 a.m. and 5 p.m.
“This is a victory for the people,” said Community Board 6 District Manager Frank Gulluscio, who vowed to make sure that the reinstated hours are observed.
“If this is what the public wants, this is what they are going to get,” said Bill Rogers, the Postmaster of Flushing. “There were enough people complaining that they needed the post office in the morning, so we’ll go back to…7 a.m.”
Jeff Goldman, manager of the Forest Hills Post Office, told The Queens Courier that the mobile unit, which only had limited services, located outside the branch would probably be removed, now that the hours are longer once again.
“We’re working on alternatives to staffing that would meet the needs of the community,” he said.
The hours had been scaled back at the start of the month, meaning that customers could not get window service until 8:30 a.m. However, this was not well received by area residents, who went to the Community Board and local politicians for help.
“This is a community with a heavy early-morning working population and I had received several complaints,” said Weiner. “I want the post office to operate as efficiently as possible, but it needs to be open when people need it.”
Rogers maintains that the shortened hours “would have helped at busier times during the day,” but conceded to the public’s outcry.