A Local
Official’s Guide to Developing
Better Community Post Offices
A project of the Vermont League of Cities and
Towns,
the Preservation Trust of Vermont,
and the Vermont Division for Historic Preservation
PREFACE
| TABLE OF CONTENTS | PART
I: INTRODUCTION | PART II: THE RULES
& HOW TO USE THEM US | PART
III: THE VERMONT MODEL & CASE STUDIES | SUMMARY
| APPENDIX
SUMMARY
Action. Persistence. Information. Political Pressure.
Local officials can lead the effort to develop and revitalize
Vermont’s downtowns and town centers. Keeping the post office
downtown is a critical step in that effort.
Working in collaboration with the USPS is not always an easy
task, but you can do it! Many cities and towns across Vermont
have paved the way for your town. Vermont has established itself
as a state committed to preventing sprawl, celebrating our
heritage and preserving and revitalizing our communities. The
USPS knows that Vermont towns will not lie down and roll over
when they propose a suburban-model post office located in or on
the edge of town and surrounded by a huge paved parking lot.
Remember to use the following tools to ensure that your
community’s needs are met:
Action. Get involved, get other state and local leaders
involved and get your community talking.
Persistence. Stay focused on your goal. Don’t let the
USPS think that your town does not care about where or how the
post office is located or what it looks like. Communicate often
and create a paper trail.
Information. Insist on reliable information from the USPS.
Use your resources. Be creative. Rely on your colleagues in
other towns that have achieved success. Their experience and
insights are invaluable to you.
Political Pressure. Use your representatives. The USPS is
a federal agency and is ultimately accountable to Congress. Use
the media to get the word out and build pressure. Make sure that
your local, state and federal leaders are working for your
community.
GOOD LUCK!!!!
A Local
Official’s Guide to Developing Better Community Post
Offices
A project of the Vermont League of Cities and Towns, the
Preservation Trust of Vermont, and the Vermont
Division for Historic Preservation, June 2001
Prepared by: Jessica Oski,
Esq. with Editorial Assistance from (in alphabetical order):
Paul Bruhn and Ann Cousins, Preservation Trust of VT; Jim
Condos, state senator and South Burlington city councilor; Karen
Horn, Vermont League of Cities and Towns; Don Keelan, The Keelan
Company; Fred Kenney, Senator Leahy’s Office; Jeff Munger,
Senator Jefford’s Office; Jenny Nelson, Representative Sanders’
Office; John Rehlen, private developer; Glenn Smith, Westminster
Town Manager; John Taylor, Governor Dean’s Office; Emily
Wadhams, State Historic Preservation Officer; and David
Weinstein, Vermont Housing and Conservation Board.
