Lease termination forces Dover post office to close doors

DOVER — The Dover post office announced Monday that problems with its landlord will force the office to discontinue service and close its doors.

According to Stephanie Becker, the branch's officer in charge, the building's owner chose not to renew the post office's lease.

"The lease here has been terminated by the landlord and we'll be closed at the end of the business day on the 19th," Becker said. "Right now they're calling it a suspension."

Neither Becker nor Dover Mayor Randy Curless know who the building's owner is or why they chose not to renew the office's lease.

In a letter sent to customers, post office operations manager Timothy Youngblood said the closure is "tentative and will not lead to a formal proposal unless we conclude that it will provide a maximum degree of regular and effective postal service."

A community meeting will be held today at 1 p.m. at the Dover City Hall to discuss options for a new post office and to answer questions from the public.

"It's a U.S. Postal Service meeting and I think they're just looking for a different location, and we've already come up with a couple different locations, so I suspect that's what will be discussed," Curless said. "I hope it gets settled, because I'd hate like the dickens to lose our post office."

 While a new location is sought, Dover residents will receive delivery and retail services from a rural letter carrier, but only if they ask for their mail to be forwarded. Those living inside city limits need to verify their physical address with the city and those living outside the city need to contact the Bonner County Road and Bridge Department, according to Youngblood.

Most retail postal services, such as purchasing stamps or requesting money order applications, will be provided by letter carries, and residents with post office boxes can continue their service at the Sandpoint or Ponderay post offices until a new Dover location is secured.

All postal customers are encouraged to attend today's meeting, located at 699 Lakeshore Ave., and anyone with questions concerning the services available through the rural carrier can contact Sandpoint Postmaster Linda Oldridge at 265-4212.