Bloomfield post office reopens

BLOOMFIELD, Mo. -- The Bloomfield post office is open for business following its closure in April due to the finding of asbestos.

The information came in an email from the city of Bloomfield on Thursday morning.

A post on the city's website Wednesday afternoon announced that the city had been contacted by the U.S. Postal Service in regard to the closure.

They were told that the contractors were given the approval to begin work May 16.

A construction van and a ladder leading to the building's roof were on-site Wednesday afternoon, but no one could be reached for comment.

Since the Bloomfield post office was temporarily closed in late April, patrons have been forced to retrieve all post office box mail from the Dexter, Mo., office.

Dexter Postmaster Patrick Powell recently characterized the office as being "extremely busy" since the temporary transition. He said that his employees have been working hard to keep up with the additional traffic at the post office.

While not a complete disruption of service, county offices in Bloomfield have had to re-plan their schedules to accommodate the different arrival time of their daily mail.

The office was closed due to asbestos fibers detected in floor tiles within the building. Further testing revealed no airborne asbestos fibers.

A Postal Service representative in Kansas City, Richard Watkins, said no employees or customers are believed to have been at risk and said the closure was a "precautionary measure."

The building, similar to most post offices, is a lease facility.