Akron isn't giving up its fight to keep the Goodyear Heights post office from closing.
The city is expected to seek a temporary restraining order this morning in Summit County Common Pleas Court to bar the U.S. Postal Service from shutting the East Akron station as planned on Friday.
Mayor Don Plusquellic and Councilman Jeff Fusco had a conference call with postal officials Monday afternoon in hopes of reaching a resolution that would maintain a postal presence in East Akron. When that conversation didn't produce the desired result, the city decided to move forward with court action.
''We're fighting for our constituents,'' said Fusco, one of several city and county officials who have been leading the charge to spare the post office.
City officials would like the post office, at 1763 Goodyear Blvd., to remain open until at least after the Postal Regulatory Commission acts on an appeal by Paul Connor, a Goodyear Heights resident and business owner who regularly uses the East Akron station.
The appeal process is expected to last through Sept. 8.
''We want to have a meaningful hearing,'' Law Director Cheri Cunningham said. ''It's not meaningful if it closes before we have our hearing.''
The postal service announced in mid-April that the Goodyear Heights station and the downtown station at 209 S. Main St. would close as part of an effort to decrease expenses by shutting down stations across the country. The announcement brought the number of Akron stations to be closed to four.
The Maple Valley station on Copley Road closed in February; the one in Chapel Hill Mall shut down in late April; and the South Main site closed in early June.
City leaders think the Goodyear Heights post office should be kept open — or should be replaced with another retail outlet in the neighborhood — because of the large number of people who walk to the station.
They also are concerned about the economic impact the closing would have on the area, which serves as the unofficial downtown to the neighborhood.
They also argue the postal service is unfairly targeting Ohio, with 25 stations slated for closing, and Akron, with four. Some states have four or fewer closings.
The postal service argues it doesn't have a choice and must cut costs. The agency, which has a self-sustaining budget, is facing a $7 billion deficit and could run out of money this year.
''Our organization is trying to do everything it can to remain viable,'' said postal spokesman Victor Dubina. ''It's a tough situation we're dealing with.''
Dubina said the postal service is considering a mobile service that would visit the Goodyear Heights neighborhood once a week.
''That's their decision,'' he said, when asked what he thought of Akron's plan to seek a restraining order.
Akron would be only the second city to take this step to try to stop a post office from closing.
The first was Tuscaloosa, Ala., where the court sided with the postal service, said Stu Baker, an assistant Akron law director.
''A lot of people have just taken their lumps,'' Baker said.
Goodyear Heights residents have shown their support for keeping the station, with many attending a rally and more than 2,000 signing a petition.
Residents now have another opportunity to protest the potential closing by visiting a new Facebook page and sending a suggested letter to the Postal Regulatory Commission. The page can be accessed under ''Help Save the Goodyear Heights Post Office.''
Stephanie Warsmith can be reached at 330-996-3705 or swarsmith@thebeaconjournal.com.
