People in one small Western Wisconsin community are speaking out in opposition after getting news their local post office is on the chopping block.

The local post office in the rural community of Downing sits right in the center of town.

"It's been here for more than 100 years," community member and retired post master of Downing Eileen Michalsky said.

People who live there say it's a staple, and it offers a service that needs to stay.

"It means a lot to the people that live here," Michalsky said.

Judi Klatt walks over to get her mail every day. People who live off the main drag don't have mail boxes so they rely on the post office to collect their letters and packages.

"If they close this it is going to affect people," community member Judi Klatt said.

This month, community members got letters from the United States Postal Service saying the Downing Post Office may close and be replaced with a rural route carrier service, leaving some people who live there outraged.

"We have a petition out and I'm not sure how many signatures we have because I haven't collected them yet, but I have not run into one person that says oh get it out of here, we don't need it. I think most people want it to stay," Michalsky added.

A spokesman for the United States Postal Service told us over the phone that a drop in revenue and in mail volume are to blame.

"The postal service has lost 20% of mail volume since 2006 and of course when mail volume goes away so does the revenue that comes with it," spokesman Pete Nowacki said.

Pete Nowacki says the postal service lost $8.5 billion last year, causing it to look at all of it's operations.

"What we have to do is find ways to cut costs. It's the only alternative we've got. We're estimating savings from salary and benefits and from lease costs of about $50,000 a year," Nowacki said.

He says Downing’s is one of eight offices in the Northland District alone that may soon be closing. But with no final decision yet people in the Downing area say they'll keep fighting.

"It would be very inconvenient and a total hardship on some people," Klatt said.

"The postal service is supposed to be a service. It's not supposed to be a business operation," Michalsky added.

A public hearing about the possible closure is scheduled for Thursday, April 21st from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the Downing Civic Hall.