Ames residents gathered at the Main Post Office on Wednesday night to express their concerns about the future of the Memorial Union and Welch Avenue post offices.

In July, the United States Postal Service released information about a cost-cutting study that would close several post offices across the U.S.

More than 170 offices in Iowa are being included in the study and both the Memorial Union and Welch Avenue post offices are among the 3,700 post offices nationwide being considered for closure.

Postmaster of Ames Larry Jordison stated that the Postal Service is losing $33 million a day and that cost-saving measures have been taking place for a while.

The U.S. Postal Services released a budget update this month stating that in the end of its third quarter in June, the agency had a net loss of $3.1 billion and in the last four years it had cut its staff by about 130,000.

More than 20 residents attended last night’s meeting to learn more about the study and express their concerns about what may happen if one or both of the offices were to close.

Concerns ranged from the lack of convenience for students to the safety of packages and mail and the loss of the community feeling of a post office.

Although few students were in attendance, many of the meeting’s attendees were also concerned with the postal needs of students living on campus and international students.

Residents in attendance were able to fill out questionnaires to express their concerns. These questionnaires will be available at the Main Post Office for students and residents to fill out and submit.

All questions and concerns from the meeting were documented and will be submitted for review.