SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. --  South Charleston Mayor Frank Mullens urged City Council members and residents Thursday night to save the Spring Hill post office from closure.

According to Mullens, the federal government has targeted the post office for closure in order to cut costs.

Mullens contacted several federal representatives to see what could be done to keep the post office on South Charleston's west end. He said that the advice he received was to urge people to intervene.

This summer the U.S. Postal Service released a list of possible closures. One of the seven stations in the area targeted for closure was the post office station on MacCorkle Avenue in Marmet. When a new list was released in September, the Marmet station had been removed.

According the Mullens, the station was removed because the city put up a fight and contacted representatives to contest the closure. Mullens hopes the same can be done with the station in Spring Hill.

"It's a small post office," Mullens said. "I don't see it saving that much money by closing it."

Mullens is concerned that the closure of the site will inconvenience the residents of the west end of the city, who have come to depend on the convenience of the post office in Spring Hill.

"We have a lot of seniors in the area," Mullens said. "It would be an inconvenience for them to have to drive all the way up here."

SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. --  South Charleston Mayor Frank Mullens urged City Council members and residents Thursday night to save the Spring Hill post office from closure.

According to Mullens, the federal government has targeted the post office for closure in order to cut costs.

Mullens contacted several federal representatives to see what could be done to keep the post office on South Charleston's west end. He said that the advice he received was to urge people to intervene.

This summer the U.S. Postal Service released a list of possible closures. One of the seven stations in the area targeted for closure was the post office station on MacCorkle Avenue in Marmet. When a new list was released in September, the Marmet station had been removed.

According the Mullens, the station was removed because the city put up a fight and contacted representatives to contest the closure. Mullens hopes the same can be done with the station in Spring Hill.

"It's a small post office," Mullens said. "I don't see it saving that much money by closing it."

Mullens is concerned that the closure of the site will inconvenience the residents of the west end of the city, who have come to depend on the convenience of the post office in Spring Hill.

"We have a lot of seniors in the area," Mullens said. "It would be an inconvenience for them to have to drive all the way up here."

Residents can contact any of their congressional representatives directly, or the mayor's office for more information.

Also Thursday, the city passed two amendments to South Charleston's zoning ordinance. The first amendment requires a special permit from the zoning commission for any new tattoo parlor wishing to set up shop in the city. The second sets a time limit of six months to a year for the utilization of special permits acquired through the commission.

The city also approved an ordinance to hold a special election for the readopting of a municipal levy that would provide funds for city operating expenses.

"I vowed not to raise any taxes or fees in this term, and I haven't," Mullens said. "This is not an increase in any taxes at all. This is simply to continue a levy that has been in existence for a long time."

Finally, Mullens applauded Charleston Mayor Danny Jones and Kanawha County Commission President Kent Carper for their decision to end attempts to consolidate city and county governments.

"I thank those folks for finally coming to the conclusion that metro government is not the best idea here," Mullens said. "I'm happy that they recognized that the voters were not for it."

Mullens was concerned that there was a common misconception that the Kanawha Valley leaders were unwilling to cooperate with one another.

"We all get along and work together, we just disagreed on this one issue," he said. "I have great respect for these guys and look forward to working with them in the future."