Waterville post office will stay on Third Street

Waterville Mayor Derek Merrin says the tentative lease agreement is a victory for the city. THE BLADE/AMY E. VOIGT Enlarge | Photo Reprints

The city of Waterville won't lose its longtime post office after all.

The post office reached an agreement with its property owner Thursday after announcing Tuesday that it was moving operations to Maumee because lease negotiations had broken down.

Waterville Mayor Derek Merrin said they had a tentative agreement for the building at 12 South Third St.

"It's a big victory for Waterville," Mr. Merrin said.

Postal carriers had planned to move to the Maumee Post Office Friday, and the retail postal service and 176 post office boxes were to relocate at the close of business May 27.

The post office has been at the same location since at least 1961, always leasing the property.

Although the lease agreement for the post office building appears secure now, Jamie Black, co-owner of the Waterville Gas and Oil Co., said he wants a more permanent solution.

"I am glad that reason prevailed, but we still need to address the issue and make sure this won't happen again," Mr. Black said.

He said he planned to talk with the postmaster to look for a permanent location.

"There needs to be a long-term solution," he said.

"We need to find a bigger space; a building that offers more permanence to the city."

The U.S. Postal Service leases more than 25,300 spaces and owns about 8,500 buildings.

"We have over 33,000 post offices across the country; that's more than all the McDonald's, Walmarts, and Starbucks combined," Postal Service spokesman David Walton said.

"We can't afford to own all of that; leasing is much more cost efficient."

Terms of the lease were unavailable Thursday as officials said attorneys were finalizing details.