Postal Service confirms it will reduce hours at Slayden, Cumberland Furnace post offices

The U.S. Postal Service has confirmed it will be reducing the hours of operation at the Slayden and Cumberland Furnace post offices. Notices posted at both facilities announce that Slayden will be reduced to two hours a weekday and Cumberland Furnace will be cut to six hours a weekday while Saturday hours will remain unchanged. However, the notices from Monty Hyder, manager of post office operations, say what those hours will be and when the change will take effect will be announced at a later date. At community meetings at both facilities on Nov. 2, the postal service presented proposals to operate the retail window at Slayden 2-4 pm weekdays and 8 am-noon Saturdays while Cumberland Furnace was proposed to be open 9 am-4 pm weekdays with an hour for lunch and 7-11 am Saturdays. Postal Operations Manager Sandra Quick said at that time she expects the change to be made sometime after the first of the year. The notices posted at both facilities last week say time is needed for the completion of administrative tasks associated with the changes. Quick said earlier this month that modifications likely will be made to the Slayden Post Office to allow customers to have 24-hour access to post office boxes while such access already exists in Cumberland Furnace. The Slayden Post Office had originally been targeted for closing as the agency tries to address billions of dollars in annual losses.