Green staying on at Post Office -- for now

Temporary Post Office chief Pat Green has made no secret of her desire to stay in Sisters. She's getting her wish, at least for a while.

The person chosen months ago to be the new postmistress of Sisters changed her mind and is staying in Illinois, said Green, "temporary" officer in charge.

"I love this place and this job and I hope I can stay on," she said. "But one never knows what the higher-ups have in mind. I could be out of here tomorrow."

Green is a resident of Culver, north of Sisters. She has been the temporary postmaster in Sisters for over a year. The 27-mile drive from Green's home in Culver, a community just south of Madras, "is an easy ride and I like it," she said. "Gives me time to catch up on my reading with books on tape."

Green has been much more than just a caretaker.

"We've been able to make some rather major changes of recent," she said.

"There are now parcel pickup boxes in our lobby so that customers won't have to stand in line to get packages that don't fit in their regular box. And, we've speeded up the mail service to Tollgate by three hours."

The new package boxes are "double keyed," Green said, "with one key placed in the postal box. The key has a tag showing which parcel box holds that specific package. The customer uses his or her regular box key, plus the one left in the letter postal box to open the large parcel locker.

"This should save 45 people from standing in line at the counter to get a package as we'll have 45 parcel boxes," Green said.

"It will make the lobby a bit tighter as we had to move one of the tables to make room, but I think it will work and it will shorten lines and waiting time for all as P.O. Box customers probably will not have to get in line now."

Green said that because of a change in delivery routes, Tollgate customers will get their mail up to three hours earlier.

The mail should arrive at 11 a.m. and sorting should be completed around noon.

Black Butte Ranch, Camp Sherman and other routes will remain about the same.

Green's status remains uncertain.

"Because I am still temporary on this job by our rules, we will now have to start all over to find a permanent postmaster," Green said. "That means putting out the word in the Oregon and Washington district and go through the application process all over again.

"Yes, I want the job, but regulations say we must offer it district wide," she said.

"You bet I'll apply for the postmaster job here. I love Sisters and the people here. Everyone is so nice. My name is already on an application for this job."

The Sisters office has five clerks and three highway contractors.

"Tollgate has had the parcel boxes, like we'll have downtown, for a year or more." Green said,

"The other route drivers generally will go to the house of the customer, if it is within half a mile of the highway mail box, to deliver an oversized package," she said.

Green said that their new system of having all mail -- including local pieces -- go to Bend for sorting, "seems to be working quite well."

"It comes back sorted in the exact order our drivers and clerks need to put it in the proper box. Saves us time and gets the mail out faster, I believe. I'd give it a 99 percent good rating," she said.

She said that with the growth in this area, "it's been a challenge to keep things running smoothly.

"In spite of that, I think everyone in this office has done a fine job."