Post Office Park tree may stay lit

Shelton's annual Christmas tree might illuminate downtown again after all.

The City of Shelton is considering a draft lease agreement with the U.S. Postal Service regarding Post Office Park that was sent to the city Monday. The federal agency's proposal comes almost three months after the U.S. Postal Service withdrew from discussions to sell Post Office Park to the city, or to trade it for the city's Brewer Park.

The city's eviction from the park would have meant the end of the annual Christmas tree lighting event at the quarter-acre park on West Railroad Avenue and Second Street. The potential loss of the iconic tree led to demonstrations and pleas to government officials.

In an interview with the Journal on Tuesday, City Manager Mark Ziegler said the U.S. Postal Service's proposed agreement is similar to the 20-year agreement the two government agencies signed in 1997. The U.S. Postal Service would get 20 parking stalls combined on Franklin and Second streets. The city would be responsible for maintaining the park.

The U.S. Postal Service is also asking for short-termination clause, with the option to give the city 30 days to vacate, Ziegler said. The city will try to make the notice longer, he said.

Negotiations will continue between the two agencies, and then an offer will be presented to the Shelton City Council, Ziegler said.

"I appreciate all of the community support ... I think the protests brought a lot of awareness," he said.

Monday's offer is quite a turnaround from the news three months ago.

A March 22 letter from the U.S. Postal Service to Ziegler stated the agency "will be unable to continue discussions regarding a potential sale/exchange of the Shelton Main Post Office with the City's Park. To continue to provide our statutorily mandated universal service of moving the mail, the Postal Service must utilize the entirety of its owned property in Shelton."

The U.S. Postal Service listed three reasons for halting the proposed deal:

■ "The proposed land swap is cost prohibitive and demands a long-term financial burden for the Postal Service."

■ "Relocating postal parking across the street from the post office rather than utilizing its own property for secure parking is less efficient for the Postal Service to move the mail."

■ "Relocating postal parking across the street where there is a known homeless population congregating (and other threats) creates safety and security issues for our employees and customers."

The letter to the city stated the Postal Service planned to break ground for its expansion on or about July 1. The agency also said that if the city wants to "relocate" the tree that has been the town's Christmas tree for decades, it can do so before July 1.

But during his report at the conclusion at the council's June 4 meeting, Ziegler mentioned he had been contacted by a U.S. Postal Service representative regarding Post Office Park.

"They have offered to enter into a lease negotiation to preserve Post Office Park," he said. "They have some stipulations." He added, "We haven't got into serious negotiations at this point, but there are some verbal communications."

Ziegler mentioned several demonstrations that took place at the park. Residents also asked local, state and federal representatives to lobby on their behalf, Ziegler said, mentioning U.S. Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell, U.S. Congressman Derek Kilmer, state Sen. Drew MacEwen and state Reps. Dan Griffey and Travis Couture.

"That groundswell has helped bring to their attention more things they thought they would receive, back in D.C., so I'm pleased they reached out to us ...," he said.

Ziegler asked the council members for their approval to enter into the negotiations with the U.S. Postal Service.

"This shows that people coming together can make a difference," said Mayor Eric Onisko. "We fought the government and won."

Onisko added, "I was hopeful, but I did not think that we were going to be able to take that park. They told us that tree was coming down, that that was going to become a parking lot, nice big razor wire on top of it, right behind the (Tollie) train. The community came together and made a difference."

Council member Miguel Gutierrez thanked Onisko for his leadership in the efforts to keep the city in the park.