[7/24/02)

The Greater Cleveland Chamber of Commerce announced today that it will launch a community survey using the Cleveland Post and website 4042.com as the communication contact points. The survey, which is due by August 30, 2002, asks residents about their postal service, preferences and invites them to vote informally on an alternate place name that may be used in the future to identify this region in western Johnston County.

According to Deirdre Jersey, chamber president, nearly 100 chamber members and local residents have indicated their interest in improved postal service and an official identity.  Jersey noted that the chamber is advocating an alternate place name because it will help businesses market more effectively, place the Cleveland area on the map and hopefully improve postal service.

"We put the matter on hold after 9-11 because of the post office's anthrax dilemma. In February 2002 discussions resumed with the USPS to determine who might pay for repeating the survey sponsored by the chamber in October 2000," said Jersey.

In 2000 community residents selected the name Cleveland Springs in a postcard survey mailed to 4,500 postal patrons in seven carrier routes serviced by the Garner and Clayton post offices. In July 2001, an observant Cleveland resident reported seeing the name Cleveland Springs in use in western North Carolina. Jersey contacted the postal authorities, who after many conversations, admitted their error in researching the name but declined paying for a repeat survey.

"We persisted about this cost issue for months and in June, the new supervisor, Tom Henry, Manager Operations Support in Greensboro, suggested the chamber conduct an informal community survey before the USPS embarks on a binding survey," said Jersey.  "This seemed a viable option as we will only get one chance to select an alternate place name."

According to Jackie Radley, Executive Director of the GCCC, she receives calls regularly asking when Cleveland will have an official name that the DOT can use for highway signs, businesses can use in advertising or to which local residents may direct their families and friends when visiting.

"McGee's Crossroads has been on the map since the 1970's.  We're at a major highway intersection with continuing growth and still people don't know where we are," said Radley for whom the dilemma was clear when she recently attended a U.S. Chamber of Commerce Training Institute.

"People from North Carolina and other states thought we were from Ohio or Cleveland County, North Carolina," said Radley. "It was very frustrating and confusing to explain our location." 

"The chamber is committed to the issue of an alternate place name and more effective postal service as our top priorities.  We hope the entire community will participate in the process of evaluating their postal service and selecting an alternate place name," said Jersey.