Herman hunts for temporary post office location
SUMMIT TWP — Even though the idea of having a working post office feels like a distant goal for residents of Herman, Summit Township officials have made strides toward that very goal.
Township secretary Roxann Stickney told attendees of the board of supervisors meeting June 18, that she was informed by a representative of the United States Postal Service that the lease for the current Herman post office would not be renewed.
Now, the township and Postal Service are looking to establish a new, temporary postal location closer to residents than the 5-mile drive to Butler.
In the meantime, Stickney said not all residents have sat idly by.
“We got a little community going on,” she said. “A resident stopped in for something else, but he has a building and he rents a post office building in Armstrong County. He knows all about the leases, so he’s helping me to help Herman.”
Earlier this year, Stickney and members of the Herman Volunteer Fire Company spoke about hosting a temporary post office in the fire station. After the two parties agreed, she told a Postal Service representative about the alternate location.
She was told by that representative, however, that before the fire station can be formalized as the temporary location, the service would need to conduct a financial feasibility study to determine if the area still meets the requirements for a post office.
“The first step is a financial feasibility study to make sure it’s financially feasible to have it at the Herman Volunteer Fire Company,” Stickney explained. “Then the next step, they’ll do a site visit to see if it will adequately fit their needs. If that’s the case, then they can begin the lease process.”
As of the June meeting, no date had been set for that study.
Rob McLafferty, a firefighter and member of the board of directors for the fire company, said the space the fire company is willing to provide is roughly 1,000 square feet and is downstairs from the banquet hall. The area is currently being used as a meeting room and office.
He said the board held some discussion on using the space as a temporary location, and found no reason against it.
“It’s a common sense solution. Our firehouse is central and has good parking,” he said. “The fire company recognizes the strain on the community, having residents and businesses drive 5 miles each way just to get their mail.”
The updates Stickney provided to residents represent the next step for the community in a yearlong battle to return postal services to Herman.
The previous post office originally closed its doors in April 2024 after it sustained flood damage. In the immediate aftermath, no timetable for returning service was provided by USPS officials, leaving some customers making the drive to the Butler post office on Main Street.
In July 2024, a spokesperson for the Postal Service was still unable to provide a timetable, but said the service was working with the property landlord to make repairs. Butler County property records list the office’s landlord as Anthony R. Schnur.
Earlier this year, after no updates from the service and an outcry from residents, Stickney began to reach out to different local officials and directly communicated with different regional representatives from the Postal Service.
Stickney said at the June meeting she felt these updates represent a step forward in the process and said she will not give up on township residents.
