Resident buys Rowley post office, vows to fix roof and mold problems

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Resident buys Rowley post office, vows to fix roof and mold problems

Waterloo Cedar-Falls Courier

http://www.wcfcourier.com/articles/2006/06/22/news/regional/0bdfd6c9a

305837f86257195004430bd.txt

TOM BARTON, Courier Staff Writer

ROWLEY --- A retired farmer says he is willing to spend thousands of

dollars out-of-pocket to buy and renovate the town's vacated post

office.

Jim Grover, 75, will do whatever it takes to keep local postal

service, including paying $9,000 to replace the building's roof.

" I'm planning on incurring all the expenses. I'm not asking for

donations, " Grover said. " That's not to say they wouldn't be greatly

appreciated, but I'm planning to go ahead and do what needs to be

done. "

Toxic mold fed by a leaky roof poses health hazards for postal

workers, according to the U.S. Postal Service, which temporarily

closed the city's post office in May.

A petition by residents against shutting down the office permanently

gathered more than 200 signatures and was presented to Postal

Service representatives at a meeting June 6. The representatives at

that time reassured more than 150 in attendance that no decision had

been made on the Rowley operation's future.

Residents are worried that without a post office, property values in

could drop and that the city would no longer be an attractive place

for people to live.

" We'd definitely be a village then, " Mayor Rita Knutson has said.

Others cited the high volume of mail several businesses generate,

including as Rowley Equipment, and complained about the sheer

inconvenience of driving to Independence to send and receive

packages.

" We all want it to stay, " Knutson said.

Mail for Rowley addresses is being rerouted through the post office

in Quasqueton, and temporary post office boxes are set up outside

the Rowley community hall.

The town has a population of less than 300, and about 330 addresses

are listed on the postal route.

The existing building is leased to the Postal Service by Alvin

Brustkern for $350 a month.

Grover declined to comment on how much he paid Brustkern for the

property, and records with the Buchanan County Assessor's Office are

not yet available.

The building was erected in 1965 and abuts a city-owned property.

The roofs overlap. It's at the transition of the roof lines where

water leaks into the post office.

Brustkern has argued that portion of the roof is on the city's

property, making the problem the city's responsibility to fix. City

Clerk Deb Hemsath contends the city tried to work with Brustkern but

could not reach an agreement.

Mark , post office operations manager for most of eastern Iowa,

said the Postal Service contacted Brustkern several times as far

back as March 2005 with complaints and requests to repair structural

damage caused by years of weather and inadequate maintenance.

Brustkern was not available for comment.

Grover, the new owner, said he contacted a consultant and is

awaiting cost estimates to remove the mold.

added the Postal Service has yet to receive results of air

quality tests and structural support analysis to determine whether

operations can resume in the building.

" Everything at this point in time is premature, " he said, adding the

Postal Service had not been informed of the change in ownership.

The Postal Service has three options: to continue operations in the

existing building; to relocate to another facility in Rowley or to

permanently discontinue operations in the community. Postal

officials set a 90-day timeline for reaching a decision. The clock

started ticking May 22.

Contact Tom Barton at (319) 291-1570 or tom.barton@....