The search officially is under way for a new post office location in Carnegie.

"The current post office is just too large," Jean Schol Berg, U.S. Postal Service manager for facilities services, told borough officials and residents Monday night, adding the site must be sized to meet current space requirements that have diminished in recent years because of mail sorting automation.

She said postal authorities are looking for about 2,000 square feet of space. Federal EPA/FEMA regulations prohibit the post office from building in a flood plain unless the entire town carries such a designation.

However, Ms. Berg was quick to add, "When I say 'new facility' that doesn't mean a new building." In fact, leasing space is a definite option.

She went on to explain that the public has 30 days to relay its feelings about a change in post office location before an ad is placed stating what the U.S. Postal Service is looking for.

After another 30 days elapses, postal authorities will put together a list of top contenders and ask for additional comment.

"It's quite an involved process that usually takes several months, "Ms. Berg said. "We know that in most communities post offices are a very vital part of that community."

She clarified that the post office would be looking for a new location in Carnegie and that its intent is to sell the current building, which was built on Main Street in 1916.

One unidentified resident took exception to Ms. Berg's statement that the existing post office is too large.

"It isn't too large at noon when everyone's [waiting] out the door," the resident said.

Ms. Berg understood the remark, but said that part of postal service's goal is to find an adequate retail facility that would accommodate enough customer service windows to keep business flowing.

Councilman Robert Kollar wondered whether the post office would consider renovating the existing building and renting unneeded portions.

"Unfortunately, we're not very good landlords," Ms. Berg said. "It's very hard to be an absentee landlord."

That prompted Mr. Kollar to ask whether someone else could buy the current, centrally located facility and then lease it back to the post office.

"To me, that building is so Carnegie and so much a post office," he said.

Postal officials said that would be possible, but they would evaluate the renovated site against other possibilities in the borough.

Councilwoman Dorothy Kelly pointed out that Carnegie's businesses profit from the foot traffic. When Mrs. Kelly asked why the post office had not maintained the existing structure, Ms. Berg said budgets have been lean in recent years.

Mrs. Kelly said the 500 post office boxes inside the current building are an asset to both the post office and the borough.

She made it clear that she prefers to see the post office remain where it is.

"That's a death knell for this town to move [the post office] out of that area," Mrs. Kelly said.