The U.S. Postal Service is backing off a plan to close north country post offices, but will cut hours of operation at some rural post offices to save money.
 
Postal officials are currently surveying affected customers.

The options for a plan under consideration are:  allowing customers in rural communities to choose whether their post office will remain open with shorter hours, discontinue service for box holders who would receive mail at another post office, eliminate the post office window service with roadside mailbox delivery or operate a village post office through a private business or company.

Postal service officials say no decision will be made without a community meeting and public hearing.
 
"In that way we can draw down the costs that are necessary to keep post office vibrant and working but at a cost that we can sustain," said Maureen Marion of the U.S. Postal Service.
 
7 News has learned among the post offices that could see their normal operating hours cut to two hours a day are Wanakena, Newton Falls, Pyrites, Helena, Depeyster, Chippewa Bay and Fishers Landing. 

The Postal Service provided us with a list of the other rural offices within the 136 ZIP code range, which could be affected.
 
To the right of the zip code is the office name, the current number of retail hours (mostly 8 hours), followed by the proposed retail hours (many listed at 6, 4 and some at 2 hours of operation).
 
 
13608-9998 ANTWERP PO NY 8 4
13611-9998 BELLEVILLE PO NY 8 4
13613-9998 BRASHER FALLS PO NY 8 6
13614-9998 BRIER HILL PO NY 8 4
13620-9998 CASTORLAND PO NY 8 4
13621-9998 CHASE MILLS PO NY 8 4
13623-9998 CHIPPEWA BAY PO NY 8 2
13625-9998 COLTON PO NY 8 6
13628-9998 DEFERIET PO NY 8 4
13630-9998 DE KALB JUNCTION PO NY 8 4
13632-9998 DEPAUVILLE PO NY 8 4
13633-9998 DE PEYSTER PO NY 8 2
13635-9998 EDWARDS PO NY 8 4
13636-9998 ELLISBURG PO NY 8 4
13638-9998 FELTS MILLS PO NY 8 4
13639-9998 FINE PO NY 8 4
13641-9998 FISHERS LANDING PO NY 8 2
13645-9998 HAILESBORO PO NY 8 4
13646-9998 HAMMOND PO NY 8 6
13647-9998 HANNAWA FALLS PO NY 8 6
13649-9998 HELENA PO NY 8 2
13650-9998 HENDERSON PO NY 8 6
13651-9998 HENDERSON HARBOR PO NY 8 4
13652-9998 HERMON PO NY 8 6
13656-9998 LA FARGEVILLE PO NY 8 6
13658-9998 LISBON PO NY 8 6
13659-9998 LORRAINE PO NY 6 4
13660-9998 MADRID PO NY 8 6
13661-9998 MANNSVILLE PO NY 8 4
13664-9998 MORRISTOWN PO NY 8 6
13665-9998 NATURAL BRIDGE PO NY 8 4
13666-9998 NEWTON FALLS PO NY 8 2
13672-9998 PARISHVILLE PO NY 8 4
13673-9998 PHILADELPHIA PO NY 8 6
13674-9998 PIERREPONT MANOR PO NY 8 4
13677-9998 PYRITES PO NY 6 2
13678-9998 RAYMONDVILLE PO NY 8 4
13679-9998 REDWOOD PO NY 8 6
13680-9998 RENSSELAER FALLS PO NY 8 4
13681-9998 RICHVILLE PO NY 8 4
13682-9998 RODMAN PO NY 8 4
13683-9998 ROOSEVELTOWN PO NY 8 6
13684-9998 RUSSELL PO NY 8 4
13687-9998 SOUTH COLTON PO NY 8 4
13690-9998 STAR LAKE PO NY 8 6
13691-9998 THERESA PO NY 8 6
13692-9211 FINEVIEW PO NY 8 6
13693-9998 THREE MILE BAY PO NY 8 4
13695-9998 WANAKENA PO NY 8 2
13696-9998 WEST STOCKHOLM PO NY 8 4
13697-9998 WINTHROP PO NY 8 6