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Upton Postmaster Says New Job is Letter Perfect

By Michelle Sanford Staff Reporter/Columnist · November 29, 2011

Patrice Salvas is Upton's new Postmaster.



With the flurry of December mail coming soon, Upton's new Postmaster Patrice Salvas is getting ready for the busiest time of the year for herself and her staff. However, for a Post Office pro like Salvas, her many years of experience in all levels of mail services will keep the mail flowing in and out of Upton.

"I started out as a mail carrier in downtown Providence," said Salvas of her first job serving the United States Postal Service. From there, she moved to a position in customer service for premier and national accounts. Before accepting the Postmaster's position in Upton, she served as the Manager of Consumer Affairs for the Post Office's Southeastern District.

Salvas officially began her new position in Upton on August 27, after her predecessor, Jonathan Graves, left.

As the new Postmaster, her main responsibilities are to oversee the mail service for Upton and manage her staff of eight. The Upton Post Office delivers to approximately 735 P.O. boxes, 2,800 residential addresses, and the town's businesses.

In all her years working for the Post Office, Salvas says the biggest change she's witnessed has been the dramatic decrease in first class mail deliveries as a result of computer technology. "Many people are now paying bills online instead of mailing them. People communicate through email not letters," she said.

In the near future, Salvas may also be dealing with another adjustment to her job—halting mail deliveries on Saturdays; a decision that will ultimately be decided by Congress soon. While many believe the decision is inevitable at some point, Salvas said she continues to wrestle with the idea and has mixed feelings about.

"It will have an impact on my employees," she said.

Still, one of the more positive changes she is enjoying about her job is working in Upton. Salvas says she's been partial to working in a small town compared to working in the city liked she used to. "I love it. It's been a very pleasant change. I have a great office and a great staff."

Salvas grew up in Pawtucket and resides in Cumberland with her husband and two teenage children.

The Upton Post Office is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 to 5 p.m. and on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon.