Antimony • In a small town — as anyone who lives in a small town knows — the local post office provides a crucial community service. For residents of Antimony, U.S. mail and package services to their town are currently in limbo.
For fourteen years, Judy Green has served as postmaster for Antimony. In the town of around eighty boxholders, the little building that serves as the post office is owned by the town of Antimony, and Green has operated the facility under an arrangement that the postal service refers to as a Contract Postal Unit (CPU).
Having dedicated her service to the town for a long time, Green, at 74 years of age and experiencing physical difficulties meeting the demands of the job, gave notice to the U.S. Postal Service in May of 2023 of her decision to retire. At that time, she notified Brian Crawford, her direct supervisor who is located in Beaver, of her intention. Green says that at that time, she put in her 30-day notice.
What’s supposed to happen when a CPU holder gives notice of intent to vacate the contract position is that the Postal Service puts out a solicitation for a new contractor to continue services. A solicitation did go out, and then — despite receiving inquiries and applications from at least five interested parties — it appears the process stalled.
Roma Henrie, Town Clerk for Antimony (also retiring), became deeply concerned when Green, as well as Antimony boxholders, received notice from the Postal Service that Green’s contract services were being terminated on Nov. 17, leading to Antimony’s Post Office closure the following day, on Nov. 18. The notice directed postal customers to go to Junction — 18 miles away — for retail and package services.
Read more at insiderutah.com.
This article is published through the Utah News Collaborative, a partnership of news organizations in Utah that aim to inform readers across the state.