HOCKINGPORT — U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown sent a letter this week to United States Postmaster General Louis DeJoy concerning the temporary suspension of operations at the Hockingport Post Office.

The USPS announced the closure of the Hockingport Post Office due to health and safety concerns in an Oct. 2 media release and in hisOct. 9 letter Brown, D-Ohio, urges DeJoy to ensure Hockingport residents continue to have access to services and to take all necessary steps to safely reopen the post office as soon as possible.

“The United States Postal Service (USPS) and its workers provide essential services, and Ohioans need to be able to count on the USPS to communicate, get their paychecks and prescription drugs, and deliver products for their small businesses,” Brown said in the letter. “A change or interruption in that service can cause challenges for both postal workers and the Ohioans who depend on them, especially for those in rural communities like Hockingport and those who can least afford to travel lengthy distances to go about their business.”

Hockingport Post Office customers were notified Oct. 1 of the closure of the post office due to water damage, USPS Strategic Communications Specialist Naddia Dhalai previously told The Times.

Customers can access retail services at other post office locations, according to the release. The Coolville Post Office is approximately 3.3 miles from the Hockingport Post Office, the Reedsville, Ohio, one is 4.6 miles away and the Tuppers Plains one is approximately 5 miles away.

“I ask that you outline the steps you are taking to reopen the Hockingport Post Office as soon as possible, and that you share regular updates with affected USPS workers and with the community on when they can expect those steps to be complete,” Brown said in the letter.

According to Dhalai, USPS management is in the process of making sure necessary repairs are made to the Hockingport Post Office and customers will be notified of the reopening date of the post office.

In his letter Brown asked DeJoy for information on what is being done while the post office is closed to “ensure that Ohioans who depend on the Hockingport Post Office can continue to receive the services they need without interruption.”

Dhaiai said last week Hockingport Post Office customers were given the option of home delivery or to continue post office box services at the Coolville Post Office.

No information about the cause of the water damage at the Hockingport Post Office or the expected date it will reopen has been posted on the USPS website.