By By Lee Weyhrich
Due to severe damage from Hurricane Ivan federal and state tax forms will not be available from the public library this year, but they may be available through the post office.
"We're doing the tax forms from the library as a community service," Atmore Post Office acting postmaster Lester Cogollo said. "We put out all the (forms) the library supplies us with. We have a flyer in the lobby that has the 1-800 number as well as the tax forms."
Cogollo hopes this will be a more convenient way of getting tax forms for people who can not download the forms from the Internet.
Over the past couple of weeks, some people have complained that the post office did not have both the federal and state tax forms.
"In the event that all the ones here are used they can go online and obtain those forms," Cogollo said.
That is the same suggestion an Internal Revenue Service staff member that did not wish to have her name published suggested.
"For federal tax forms they can call 1-800-829-3676 and they can get one mailed to them or they can download the forms at www.IRS.gov," she said. "That's just about all they can do."
It is unknown how long the library will be closed for repairs.
The roof of the library was destroyed and several rooms suffered damage. Books were destroyed and most of the thousands of remaining books are packed away in boxes.
According to Dorthy McGee, a library employee, repairs were begun on the library's roof Monday.
"They say it will take them at least two weeks to finish the roof," McGee said.
She estimates that even with all the help that has been offered from volunteers it will still be months before the library can be reopened.
"I can't say how long it will take, they have told us not to even let anyone in the entrance because the overhang was damaged by a tree," she said.
Bricks on the overhang have separated and are hanging precariously above the sidewalk. The elevator is broken and several other items need to be addressed before the library can reopen, Mcgee said.
"It's probably going to be a while before they're able to reopen," Mayor Howard Shell said.
No one seems to have an exact estimate to when the library repairs will be completed.
Until that time Cogollo said the post office would do whatever it could to provide help to the community.
"In light of the stress that the community has had to endure we are providing this to the community and we will help them any way we can," he said.