Hoage earns job as head of three town post offices

CORNWALL — Lisa Hoage has recently been appointed postmaster of all three Cornwall post offices.

After more than 16 years with the U.S. Postal Service and after recently proving her mettle at problem-solving in offices in North Canaan and Torrington, she has now taken on her first official top post.

Hoage, a Salisbury resident, spent most of her career up until now at the Taconic office in Salisbury. Recent years were difficult as she was denied a promotion for a minor lack of training, and as the postal service went through financial turmoil.

Two years ago, Hoage was the officer in charge at the North Canaan office. This July, she was moved to Torrington as a clerk, where she was tasked with revamping the lobby and retail center.

“The postmaster there had not gotten it done in five months,” she said. “ They asked me at 5 o’clock on Wednesday to do it, and to finish by Friday.”

She got it done, made an impression, and when the postmaster position opened up in Cornwall, she applied and got it.

Hoage now works out of the Cornwall Bridge office. Her goal is to make improvements at all three offices as needed and maintain topnotch customer service, even as changes continue.

Window hours — when patrons can buy postage, ship packages and such — were cut recently. It should not come as a surprise as a public meeting was held nearly two years ago in the West Cornwall office, after residents rallied against plans to close at least one local office. At the very least, hours would be cut, they were told. Saturday delivery was also to be discontinued — but that did not happen.

Current hours at the West Cornwall office are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to noon and 2 to 4:30 p.m., and Saturdays, 9 a.m. to noon.

In Cornwall Village, weekday hours are 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., and Saturday, 8 a.m. to noon.

Cornwall Bridge hours are 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2 to 5 p.m. on weekdays, and 9 a.m. to noon on Saturdays.

West Cornwall and Cornwall lobbies are open around the clock for access to post boxes. The lobby in Cornwall Bridge is open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Saturdays 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.