LECOMPTON, Kan. (AP) -- Residents of a northeast Kansas town are upset that the hours at their post office will be reduced five weeks earlier than expected.

The U.S. Postal Service recently told residents of Lecompton that it will reduce the post office hours beginning Jan. 26. The Topeka Capital-Journal reports (http://bit.ly/VtjAR0 ) residents said they were told the cuts would happen March 3.

Postal service spokesman Pete Nowacki says Lecompton residents were told at a November meeting that March was a likely date for implementation. He says the change was made so savings could begin immediately.

The Postal Service announced in May that it would cut hours of retail windows at 13,000 post offices in the country, including 362 in Kansas. The move is expected to save the service $500 million a year.