Borough eyes post office on donated land

TINTON FALLS - The topic of a post office in the borough was revisited recently by borough officials.

CJS Investments Inc., a development firm, donated land off Shafto Road to the borough and borough officials have set aside those lands to be used for a post office, according to Borough Council President Michael Skudera.

"This land does not guarantee that a post office will be built, but this is an important first step that opens the door for the possibility of the federal government building a post office in Tinton Falls," Skudera wrote in his Oct. 10 e-mail newsletter.

Borough Business Administrator W. Bryan Dempsey said last week that the borough will receive the deed to the property within the next four weeks and he added that many residents are anxious to have their own post office.

"We're in the process of working with the postal service to make sure that is a proper location for them," said Dempsey.

Dempsey said the land would be given to the postal service if officials find it to be a suitable location.

The initial proposal began about eight or nine years ago when the mayor's office approached the United States Postal Service (USPS) about locating a post office in the borough, according to USPS spokesman George Flood.

Although, there are no post offices within Tinton Falls, nearby post office locations include the Eatontown Post Office, which is 1.57 miles away, located at 409 South St., the Fort Monmouth Post Office, which is 2.60 miles away, located at 1005 Alexander Ave., the Shrewsbury Post Office, which is 2.74 miles away, located at 562 Broad St. and the Lincroft Post Office, which is 3.08 miles away, located at 774 Newman Springs Road.

"To place a post office we are looking for a mutually agreeable site between the postal service and municipality and the ultimate goal is to be as convenient as possible for our customers," said Flood Friday. "As an example you don't want to be in an area of town that customers don't have easy and convenient access to."

Flood said a number of factors have to be considered before being able to place a post office.

Some factors include having an accessible and agreeable location, environmental issues, facility and building costs and the size of the customer base.

"We are just like McDonald's or Burger King; we look at all the factors and do a cost benefit analysis just like any other business does," said Flood.

He added, "I think the important point is that we are working together with the municipality to come up with an amicable solution. It's too early in the negotiations to make a definitive comment. I know they've been going back and forth for some time [between the municipality and the postal service.]"