Huntington Bank is closing its New Bedford branch.

The bank sent letters, signed by regional president Frank Hierro, to customers in May, informing them the branch will close Aug. 22.

The news was a disappointment to some New Bedford area residents, who said they had been told no other bank will be relocating in that building.

The branch on Route 208 was Sky Bank and before that, First National Bank. It has provided a central location for more than 30 years for New Bedford and Pulaski residents to do their banking, and townspeople have been able to walk there.

“I’m really upset about it,” said Pulaski Township tax collector Shirley Snyder.

The New Bedford branch has provided her with a convenient location for personal and township banking, she said.

“We live in a community where that is the only bank,” she said, adding the community has a lot of senior citizens who go there to get their Social Security checks and other payments.

“Now we have to go 15 miles.”

Snyder said she has done the township’s tax banking at the New Bedford branch since 1974, and the township’s other funds are there, convenient to the municipal building, which also is on Route 208.

Snyder, who also has community garden and other club accounts there, pointed out that many Pulaski Township businesses also use the New Bedford branch.

All accounts will be accessible at other Huntington branches. Those nearest New Bedford are at the Lincoln Knolls Plaza in Ohio or in New Wilmington. There is a full-service branch at 2699 Wilmington Road in Neshannock Township.

Huntington’s Farrell branch in Mercer County also is scheduled to close.

Huntington Bancshares Inc. of Columbus, Ohio, took over Sky Bank Financial Group Inc. in September, and about 142 Sky support employees lost their jobs.

In April, Huntington laid off “a handful” of people in a consolidation of the western Pennsylvania branch with the Pittsburgh branch.

Bank officials could not be reached Thursday or yesterday for information on why the branch is closing or how many jobs will be affected.