HOWLAND — The township is changing the way its post office operates to increase compatibility with modernized features of shipping and handling.

After recommendation from township administrator James Pantalone, Howland trustees passed a resolution during its last meeting to amend the contract for the township’s postal unit.

Howland was previously a contract postal unit, “with only so much capability of doing things,” Pantalone said. The township has not had the ability to scan or manage QR codes and pre-packaged items.

“This transition, although it’s taken a little longer than we had hoped, is going to put us on the front side of that, transitioning to the RSS program,” Pantalone said.

Now a Retail System Software performance-based unit, Howland will gain the ability to track packages through electronic scanning of codes.

“We’ll have all new terminals directly through the post office,” Pantalone said. “We’ll be able to scan packages, QR codes, and all of those items, of which we had not been able to do.”

Along with new capabilities within the post office, Howland will become its own postal entity, and be managed as such.

Advantages and upgrades to the post office include: ZIP Code Lookup, integrated scale systems, automated software upgrades for rate and zone changes, integrated inventory control and internal audit systems, Priority Mail Express live network, acceptance scanning of pre-paid packages, reduced daily reporting to the United States Postal Service, and direct purchasing of stamps instead of the current consignment process.

Pantalone also noted the most visual change will take place in the future once new computer systems and the associated equipment are installed. The township is targeting a July 1 go-live date if all goes well with setup and training.

“We are a quasi post office, whereas we still work through the local postmaster,” Pantalone said. “We will still interact with them, but we’re going to be a standalone where we will manage our own credit card terminals, income, costs, analysis, all of that stuff. It will become its own entity within Howland Township.”

No impacts will be made on taxpayers except for the service that the township feels Howland and neighboring communities will appreciate.

“We are a very busy postal contract station,” Pantalone said. “The United States Postal Service realized that and they understand it. But we had to get through some red tape, processes, and agreements for us to make the transition to a standalone.”

Whether traveling through Howland to go to the mall area, or passing through, the station is available to anyone.

“We are happy to know that people use us from all over the county,” Pantalone said.

Those who had been visiting the post office before the transition were offered tracking numbers at an additional cost because of the township’s manual services.

“As we open up this part of it, we know that it’s going to improve the services that we can offer to everyone. This is definitely a positive move for the township using all of the new digital scanning materials and computer systems. And we’re going to be able to directly manage our costs as well. We’ll truly be integrated with the postal service, with expanded capabilities and 21st Century terminal stuff,” Pantalone said.

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