New Gloucester Postmaster sworn in
By Elizabeth Prata

New Gloucester-- Postmaster Sandra Dresser can now drop the "Officer In Charge" from her professional title. Ms. Dresser was sworn in last Thursday as New Gloucester's Postmaster in a ceremony held at the American Legion Hall.

Manager of Post Office Operation in Maine, Rene Albert, opened the ceremony and welcomed the assembly. "Today, Sandy becomes New Gloucester's Postmaster, chosen through a merit process. Sandy began ten years ago in Lisbon as a clerk." Mr. Albert recollected Ms. Dresser's rise through the ranks to the position for which they were assembled today. "This is an important career milestone," Mr. Albert said. "These positions are highly prized, with intense competition." Above: Postmaster Sandy Dresser, sworn in by Manager of Post Office Operation in Maine, Rene Albert. The ceremony was held at the AMVETS Hall on Route 100 in new Gloucester last Thursday. The Monument: Prata photo

Ms. Dresser manages a half million dollar budget, approximately $428,000 of which is returned to the community in salary and local purchases, explained Mr. Albert.

Ms. Dresser thanked her husband Brad, "Especially when I have to put my job first," Ms. Dresser said. Ms. Dresser also thanked her employees, and Town Manager Rosemary Kulow, saying, "It has been a pleasure working with you." Ms. Dresser was feted with a luncheon and coffee and punch after the ceremonies were concluded.

Did you know that Falmouth has no Post Office nor Postmaster? But Poland has three, Poland, West Poland, and East Poland.

USPS Communications Specialist Leanne Payeur, offered information about the Postal Service in Maine. "There are 420 Post Offices in Maine that have Postmasters. Towns and cities that do not have post offices or Postmasters get their mail services from other offices. For instance, Falmouth does not have a post office or a Postmaster. Their mail delivery, like that of Westbrook, South Portland, Cape Elizabeth, and Scarborough, is handled by Portland Letter Carriers."

"Although Westbrook has a Postmaster, as does Scarborough, and a Post Office in each of those communities, there are no letter carriers operating out of those post offices, just window services. Often, it is more cost-effective for us to pool and centralize carriers for a number of municipalities into one central location."

There are around 400 letter carriers out of the Portland letter carrier annexes, and those annexes have large parking lots for the mail delivery vehicles, and large workroom floors for the equipment and dock space needed to deliver to multiple locations. When the residents of Falmouth want to mail a package or buy stamps, they can go to post offices in neighboring communities, or in communities where they work."

Here's why every town does not have a PO:

"There are also stamps for sale at any number of contract stations (some are located in hardware stores or gift card stores, and in most groceries) or in vending machines. Sometimes those contract stations also offer Post Office boxes where customers can have their mail delivered and where they can pick it up daily. Contract stations are not staffed by USPS employees but they offer almost all of the services of a regular post office, and their staffs are trained by postal personnel."

Ms. Payeur noted that with the USPS efforts to increase remote services though their website, such as making stamp purchases online, purchase delivery confirmation, insurance, and other services from their home computers, "Having a post office located in every single community in every state is not necessary. Nor is it feasible, economically, nor warranted for us to establish and maintain one in each municipality."

How many Postmasters the town of New Gloucester have had since 1969?

The USPS website has a historical section, and New Gloucester's information went back to 1969:

Wallace E. Bragdon, Jr., Postmaster. Date appointed 1-17-1969
Pat Belanger, Officer In Charge, Date appointed 6-21-1990
Steven W. Anderson, Postmaster, Date Appointed 8-11-1990
Sandra A. Dresser, Officer In Charge, Date appointed 2-04-2003
Sandra A. Dresser, Postmaster, Date appointed 12-11-2004

Ms Payeur explained, "An Officer In Charge is a person who holds a position in an interim capacity. That person has all of the duties and responsibilities of Postmaster but holds the position as a temporary assignment until a permanent candidate has been selected. So, while Pat Belanger was serving as an Officer In Charge, Mr. Bragdon still held the title of Postmaster of New Gloucester, until such time as Mr. Anderson was selected. Often, we allow our employees to try new positions, or alternative assignments called details, as ways to develop their careers, while they are still - technically - holding another job title or position.