Residents of Big Piney, Marbleton to see new mailboxes

by Tiffany Turner

The Marbleton Post Office, which is actually nothing more than a “Contract Postal Unit” according to the United States Postal Service Consumer Affairs area representative for the area Lisa Gamboa, will close its doors on Oct.24.

“Marbleton i snot a post office nor does it have a Postmaster,” Gamboa said. “The Big Piney Post Office found reason to terminate the Marbleton contract...due to violations of the contract...prior to termination, the Postmaster of Big Piney took the steps necessary to ensure no interruption of delivery to the residents of Marbleton.”

These steps include the installation of 400 boxes within several Cluster Box Units (CBU) around the towns of Marbleton and Big Piney, which will be filled similar to street delivery and serve some of the area’s population.

“Some Marbleton residents now have free street delivery to a secure (CBU) with a key,” Gamboa said. “Those residents not receiving street delivery will be offered a free PO Box at the Big Piney Post Office.” In addition to those that are outside of the CBU area, many residents have chosen to pay for a box at the Big Piney Post Office rather than participate in the CBU program.

“There was about 50 boxes available (at Big Piney),” Gamboa said. “Many of the Marbleton residents that were offered CBU delivery are choosing to pay for a PO Box at Big Piney – therefore, the waiting list has grown and the Postmaster has ordered additional Rotary PO Box (units).” These units should arrive within the next two weeks.

No employees will be transferred, as those at the Marbleton unit were not postal employees, only independent contract employees.

“There should be minimal impact at the Big Piney Post Office as the P.O Box lobby is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week,” Gamboa said. “The Postal Service establishes boundaries for each five-digit ZIP code to form a pattern of delivery that makes the best possible use of Postal Service resources and personnel over the existing roads – this means that any number of factors can play a part in the decision.”

“We then set up our transportation system and actual carrier delivery routes to efficiently serve customers within the set delivery or ZIP code boundaries,” she added.