HOUSTON, Del.- The U.S. Postal Service is in financial trouble.
For the second time this year, the agency has defaulted on its payments.
The $5.6 billion dollar payment was due on Sept. 30 to fund future retiree health benefits.
According to a spokesperson for the U.S. Postal Service, mail delivery will not be impacted nor will current and retired employees.
But the future of post offices are unknown.
A lack of money is forcing many locations, including some on Delmarva, to consider cutting hours or even shutting down.
Closing the Houston, Del., office is not something neighbors want to happen.
"Here I trust them. I can do all my business in here. If it closes where am I going to go?" asked Litsa Goldsmith of Houston.
U.S. Postal services nationwide are facing severe financial hurdles.
A public notice, along with surveys, were mailed to Houston residents informing them of a community meeting in November to determine the fate of their post office. There are four items up for discussion and one of them involves closing this location.
"We need to build it up rather than start taking things away," said Carol Bockowski of Houston.
"It's just going to be an inconvenience for people in this area," said Frank Martire, who picked up mail for the Houston Volunteer Fire Company.
Martire said it is an inconvenience because many seniors who do not drive depend on this post office.
Some in Houston have owned post office boxes for more than years.
If it closes, many say they would be forced to travel to Harrington or Milford to get their mail.
"It's an old established community and without the post office I don't know what a lot of them will do," Martire said.
Goldsmith said it is those extra miles, and time to get to a post office that makes it so inconvenient.
"You have to go six or seven miles just to mail something. It's a shame," said Goldsmith.
Postal workers say if you have not already received your survey in the mail, you are encouraged to pick one up at the Houston location.
A community meeting has been scheduled for Nov. 8 at 6 p.m. at the Houston Volunteer Fire Company, located at 143 Broad St.
To find out if a post office near you will be impacted by possible changes, log onto http://1.usa.gov/IDhCYr.
