A survey of Brownville U.S. Postal Service customers overwhelmingly favored reduced hours of operation. Results of the survey were presented Tuesday, Oct. 16, at the Brownville Village Hall.

There were 73 respondents, or 86 percent, who favored that option. Three other options involved conducting a discontinuance study for the post office. Respondents of other options were:

–Four customers, 5 percent, favored providing roadside mailbox delivery.

–One customer, 1 percent, favored the village post office option. That involved finding a suitable alternative location operated by a contractor, usually at a local business.

–No customers favored relocating post office box service to a nearby post office. The closest post offices to Brownville are: Nemaha, 5.2 miles; Rock Port, Mo., 8.6 miles and Auburn, 10.1 miles.

Seven customers, 8 percent, made no selection.

Unless 60 percent or more customers favored closing, U.S. Postal Service officials will not close a post office, said Todd Case, manager of post office operations in the 683 and 684 ZIP Code area.

Comments presented included some customers did not like any option, but would rather have a post office with reduced window hours than no post office at all, he said.

The retail operating hours at the Brownville office will be reduced from eight to four hours daily. The new hours will take effect Saturday, Jan. 12, 2013.

Case said preferred hours by postal customers if the post office remained were across the board. Some favored morning hours, some favored midday hours and some favored late afternoon hours, he said.

Postal officials will try to find a time to meet customers’ needs, Case said.

Mail will be delivered to Brownville by a rural mail carrier, who usually would arrive in Brownville around 11 to 11:30 a.m., he said.

At the Oct. 16 meeting, which lasted about an hour, a proclamation was presented from the Brownville Village Board favoring the office remain open its current hours. It was signed by a number of Brownville residents.

After reviewing the surveys that were returned and taking account Postal Service operational needs, retail hours for Brownville will likely be: Mondays through Fridays from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., and Saturdays from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. The exact hours of operation will be determined within a week. The hours will be posted at the Brownville post office.

Total Saturday window service hours will not be reduced. Access to delivery receptacles will not change as a result of the Post Office Structure Plan realignment of weekday window service hours. Lobby times will not change for customers with post office boxes, Case said.

A similar town hall meeting is Thursday, Oct. 18, at 6 p.m. at the Nemaha Community Building.