Office could be back in business in one month

By PHYLLIS ZORN

Staff writer

Durham resident Wendel Cook has purchased a flood-damaged building to keep the town from losing its post office.

Durham’s post office, damaged by four feet of flooding July 4, could be in business again as early as a month from now.

Former building owner John Ratzlaff, who lives six miles from Buhler, said he didn’t want to have to renovate and restore the building.

“We’re too far away to commute in, we’d have to put in a lot of labor, and I’m getting older,” Ratzlaff said.

Ratzlaff said the U.S. Postal Service has renewed its lease for the building.

Cook, who used to be a construction contractor before he went back to over-the-road truck driving, purchased it.

“I like having a post office,” Cook said.

He plans to start work in several days, and hopes to have the job completed within a month or two.

“I’ve only got 270 days to get it done,” he said.

Cook said walls have already been removed from the building, and a window was left out so people could get in to get their mail.

“I don’t think it will take too long to get it going,” Cook said. “As far as doing the actual labor, I’ll probably do most of it.”

He’s already gotten a jump on the project.

“I’ve already bought a new furnace,” he said. “I bought a high efficiency furnace. That will help them a lot.”