The U.S. Postal Service announced Tuesday it would be reviewing more than 3,600 retail post offices across the country for consideration of possible shut down.

Due to the cutbacks, local offices are also feeling the pressure. Offices in Jones and Safford are among those going through the review process to remain open.

Dallas County commissioner Curtis Williams, whose district includes Safford, said the  the post office is a “focal point” to the community and its closure would be “devastating.”

“People come — meet and greet their friends there … it’s a great post office,” Williams said. “If it closes, it means they’ll have to come all the way to Orrville just to get a stamp.

“I would hope the post office will remain opened … it would be a tragedy to the area,” Williams said. “So much love and commitment is there.”

The loss of jobs due to the closing, Williams said, would be detrimental.

“We’ve lost enough as it is … with the economy right now, we need all the jobs we can get and the loss of jobs — with mail carriers and employees — would put a damper on the community,” Williams said.

County commissioner for Roy Moore, who represents the district where Jones is located, said in the event Jones’ post office closes, there are other facilities in his district, such as Burnsville and Tyler, which can assist Dallas and Lowndes County residents.

According to media reports, in fiscal year 2010, the Postal Service suffered an $8.5 billion net loss compared to a loss of $3.8 billion in 2009.

Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe said it’s clear customers no longer need a physical post office to conduct most of their postal business.

“Today, more than 35 percent of the Postal Service’s retail revenue comes from expanded access locations such as grocery stores, drug stores, office supply stores, retail chains, self-service kiosks, ATMs and usps.com,” Donahoe said in a published statement.

Representatives from the postmaster general’s office in Alabama said there are no imminent closures and no offices will close before December 2011.

USPS spokesperson for the Alabama district Debra Fetterly said as part of the review process, customers will have a chance to voice their opinions at a public meeting, which has yet to be announced.

“I would like to encourage our customers to go to uspseverywhere.com and type in their zip codes to identify the many expanded access locations (e.g. grocery stores, drug stores) where they may purchase stamps and conduct other postal transactions,” Fetterly said. “We’re trying to make it more convenient for our customers to do business at the locations they already frequent … instead of making a trip to the brick-and-mortar post office.”

Donahoe said the post office of the future would be “smaller, leaner and more competitive.”

“It will continue to drive commerce, serve communities and deliver value,” he said.

Offices in towns such as Vredenburgh in Wilcox and Marengo counties, Myrtlewood and Nanafalia in Marengo County, Coy in Wilcox County and Furman in Lowndes County, are also up for review.

Dallas County also has postal facilities in Marion Junction, Minter, Orrville, Plantersville, Tyler, Sardis and Selma.