At a regular Scaly Mountain Community Association meeting Aug. 7, attendees came prepared to fight for their post office only to discover that, as of now, a fight is not needed.
The Scaly Mountain community was at risk of losing the post office due to lease issues. The post office previously announced it would be closing as of February 2024. The SMCA learned in July the USPS would not renew the Scaly Mountain Post Office lease.
Attendees at the community association meeting came prepared to write and address forms and letters encouraging congressman Chuck Edwards, representative for NC District 11, to keep the post office open. Many members of the Scaly Mountain community had already phoned or written to Edwards in attempts to reverse the decision to close the post office. The SMCA encouraged members to do so. Edwards confirmed with the SMCA post office would stay open and renew the lease.
However, the letters planned for the SMCA meeting were not necessary. By the meeting, Darren Gillett, president of the SMCA, said the issue had been resolved and a lease agreement had been reached.
“We had a little bit of a scare with our Scaly post office. Fortunately, in the last couple of days, I’ve received from, a number of people, really good news,” said Gillett.
He said he had received confirmation from multiple sources saying the post office had agreed to renew the lease. He did not know the terms of the lease, including how much the rent was or how long the agreement is, but that is one less thing to worry about.
“It seems like we have overcome that hurdle, hopefully,” Gillett said.
He said the new lease should go into effect in March, a month after the Scaly Mountain post office was set to close. The community members in attendance expressed gratitude. Had the Scaly Mountain post office closed, members would have had to go to Highlands, Dillard, Georgia, or other locations for their mail.
Highlands’ post office is already experiencing issues with demand. Some of the members said they had contacted the Highlands post office about getting a P.O. box only to learn Highlands has no available P.O. boxes and instead has a waitlist of around 50 people. One member in attendance said the Highlands P.O. boxes can also be more expensive. They said the difference was around $70 at Scaly Mountain and around $200 at Highlands, which can be an additional burden for individuals.
Heading to another area’s post office brought concerns from members. It is around seven miles from Scaly Mountain to the Highlands post office. That may only be a 15 minute trip one way, but Gillett said the trip can be hazardous, especially with winter weather conditions or otherwise adverse weather.
Staffing is an ongoing issue impacting the workforce and the U.S. Postal Service is no exception, with some postal carriers having to take on multiple routes. One member of the SMCA encouraged others to conduct their business from the Scaly Mountain post office, including buying stamps and sending mail.
“We have to prove as a community this is a viable business. At the end of the day, it’s our responsibility as well to support what we say we’re trying to have,” said Gillett.
The Scaly Mountain post office also has non-perishable food items available where people in need can take some and people with extras can leave some.
After discussing the near-crisis with the post office, SMCA business proceeded as normal. Gillett encouraged members to come to the pancake breakfast Aug. 19 from 8 to 10:30 a.m. at the Scaly Mountain Community Center, 41 Buck Knob Rd.
A motion passed to donate $3,100 to the Scaly Mountain Historical Society for continued repairs and maintenance on the community building.
Maintenance includes repairing the exterior, which has been completed, and getting HVAC and water heater needs taken care of. The maintenance expenses are over $14,000. One member said that additional parking for the building needs to be considered with future expenses, which Gillett said is on the list.
Gillett said Scaly Mountain wants to get more use out of the Scaly Mountain Community Center, including renting it out at around $35 a day for birthday parties, family reunions, weddings, and more. The building currently has free wifi, provided by a GREAT grant, which extends to the parking lot. Public, high-speed internet is also available at the fire department and the fitness center.