CODEN, Ala. (WALA) – Some residents in Coden, Ala. have formed a grassroots effort to help keep their neighboorhood post office open. The United States Postal Service wants to make some changes, and patrons are not happy.

Folks living in Coden say they have had a post office in their town for as long as they could remember. In what used to be an old two story building to a more modern facility. Lori Bosarge and her family have held a post office box in the building for the last 33 years.

“All of the employees here live in South Mobile county. What disturbs me is that they want to move all of Coden post office to Bayou La Batre post office,” said Lori.

Lori is taking a stand…along with many other Coden residents to make their voices heard. The Post Office Structure Plan, or POStPlan, is effecting approximately 13,000 smaller post offices across the nation. It was implemented by the USPS in 2011 to better streamline the postal service. That means Coden’s post office could have reduced hours.

“They sent surveys out, the post office did, and gave three choices about what we could do. And one of the choices is we could keep the post office itself but cut back the hours, or adjust the hours,” said Wayne Rabby, a lifelong resident of Coden.

“What disturbs me is that our people that live right here in South Mobile county are going to lose their jobs and have their hours cut back,” said Lori.

While Lori and others are concerned about jobs being lost, a statement from the USPS says otherwise…

“The Coden Post Office is not being closed, but its retail hours are being adjusted. We will solicit feedback from our customers at the community meeting scheduled on July 1,” said Debbie Fetterly.

Signs already line the road inviting people to the meeting on Tuesday at 4 pm at the Coden Response Center.

Coden’s post office is not the only post office in the State of Alabama being effected by possible changes. Forty-five other locations are holding community meetings over the next few weeks for community input.

via Coden residents concerned about post office changes | FOX10 News – Mobile.