Hillsboro Post Office closed due to safety concerns

HILLSBORO - The Hillsboro post office faced an immediate closure Wednesday after the United States Postal Service deemed the building structurally unsafe, with no previous notice to the public.

On Wednesday, Oct. 31, vans parked in front of the building and began removing all equipment and office supplies. Kristy Anderson, strategic communications specialist for the postal service, said the building owners were informed of the structural damage and chose not to repair the building.

'They were unable to make the repairs we needed,” she said.

Anderson said the owners felt the cost was unaffordable and the lease on the building expired Oct. 31, prompting the postal service to close the business at the end of the day on Wednesday. The public was not notified of the closure and instead watched as the cluster boxes for customers with a PO Box were installed in front of the library.

Anderson said because the post office made the decision on the last day of the lease, there was little they could do to warn the public.

'We didn't have a lot of notice we could do,” she admitted, but added the post office is actively seeking out a solution to remain in Hillsboro. She said they are looking at all viable options to see if any fit within their guidelines.

Cindy French lives across the street from the office and said she was in complete shock as she watched the building be packed up in a matter of hours.

'They were gone within one day and the whole town is in shock,” she said. 'They left the whole town in the dark.”

Not even Hillsboro Mayor Jim Thompson was aware of the situation. He said he drove into town, saw the building being packed up and went to question the workers.

'When I got up there the people that were shutting it down and tearing it out said they just got word to do it,” he said. 'I can't imagine somebody doing that and not giving the community time.”

Thompson said the landlord of the building told him about an inspection the post office did between two and three months ago. The landlord was informed at that time that repairs were needed.

He said the required repairs would cost approximately $40,000 and when the landlord reached out to the post office, their calls were not answered or returned.

'They were left out in the dark, so to speak,” he said, mentioning that the landlord of the building was unaware the post office would be leaving.

Attempts to reach the landlord have been unsuccessful.

A town hall meeting is expected to take place in the near future regarding whether or not the postal service will lease a new space or cease all operations in town. Thompson said he hopes residents attend and raise an argument as to why the post office should remain in Hillsboro. He feels that the meeting is necessary, but already too late.

'I guess what it comes down to is that town hall meeting should have been before they did anything,” he said.

For the time being, all mail and services have been directed to Bonaparte.