Representatives with the U-S Postal service will be in Cumberland next week to discuss the possible closure of the community’s Post Office. The meeting, which is open to the public, is scheduled for 6-p.m. Mon., Nov. 14th, It will be held in the Cumberland Community Building.  Residents of the community have been signing petitions voicing their objection to the possible closing. The petitions can be found at the Cumberland Telephone Office, 21st Century Co-op, the Cumberland City Hall, and Cumberland Library. In addition, a questionnaire has been mailed to residents of the community. Organizers of the petition are encouraging those who have received the mailing to fill it out and return it as soon as possible. They also encourage you to send letters to Representatives Steve King and Leonard Boswell, along with Senators Grassley and Harkin.

There are nearly 270 small Post Offices around the State which could be on the chopping block. Officials say the Postal Service lost $8.5 billion in its most recent fiscal year, the largest net loss in its history. It began a push in January to close 2,000 post offices nationwide (out of 32,000) in order to save money by any means possible. In July, the USPS announced that it was reviewing the use of 3,700 of its 32,000 offices nationwide, for possible closure.