Rural mail delivery residents in Waitsfield and Fayston are frustrated with chronic USPS mail delivery delays, citing missed bills, important letters, and inconsistent package delivery. Many say they’ve gone days – some even weeks – without regular service, and confusion plus lack of communication from the U.S. Postal Service have fueled that frustration.
According to local folks, the issue is ongoing and has been since earlier this summer. The Valley Reporter reached out to USPS designated spokesperson Steve Doherty on several occasions, seeking answers to why mail delivery is sporadic.
The Valley Reporter shared a letter from a local man, a former postmaster, expressing his concerns about the Waitsfield Post Office with Doherty on October 6.
“Aside from the angry former employee below, I’m not sure why customers would be reaching out to you for postal related issues? Any customer with mail concerns can contact our Customer Service Center to be connected with a local operations manager who can address their concerns. They are currently experiencing an issue with employee availability in Waitsfield and are hiring to fill that need. In the interim, in addition to personnel from neighboring offices being deployed to assist, management personnel, including the current postmaster, are out delivering mail to ensure that customer’s needs are met. This person’s assessment that “no one has had mail delivery for about two months” is ridiculous and untrue,” Doherty wrote in an October 6 email.
Via Facebook, The Valley Reporter asked local folks this: “Anyone having issues with USPS mail delivery? We’ve heard there have been issues with carrier delivery in Waitsfield and Fayston due to staff shortages. Let us know in the comments or by email
The post was viewed 11,191 times and garnered 51 comments about delayed, sporadic and non-existent mail delivery. People also pointed to the fact that good communication about the issue was critical and that the phone number for the customer service center went unanswered and that the local phone number for the post office is no longer answered. Importantly, many people pointed out that the issue is not with the office staff and that there was no need to be rude to them.
Here's what some people had to say. The Valley Reporter reached back out to Doherty about the content of these responses and did not receive a response by press time.
“I went to the post office and was told, ‘There’s no one to deliver right now,’” said Benjamin D. Bloom. “It might be nice if they shared a status update, so we know whether to go pick up our mail or keep waiting.”
Bob Ashford, lives at Evergreen Place in Waitsfield.
“We were told that mail will not be delivered for an extended period of time due to staffing shortages and that we’ll need to go to the post office to pick it up,” he said. “It’s not a problem for me, but there are elderly and disabled residents here who can’t walk there. Some are using Free Wheelin’ to get rides,” he said.
Some neighborhoods, like Spring Hill Road, report mail delivery only once a week. “There are more packages than mail delivered, and boxes are just left on top of the mailboxes along Joslin Hill Road,” said Sandy Tarburton. “I went to the post office and was astounded by the Amazon boxes crowded behind the counter, waiting to be delivered by a post office with no delivery people. Waitsfield post office needs help.”
Amazon packages, it seems, are often prioritized due to federal contracts. “There’s a whole counter full of boxes – mostly Amazon – but we barely get any regular mail,” added Tarburton.
Residents point to the departure of longtime local carrier Jason as a major loss. “We miss Jason,” said Melissa Berry. “I’ve been waiting six days for an important letter.” Jason reportedly transferred to the Moretown Post Office, where he was given a delivery vehicle – a benefit Waitsfield did not provide.
“He quit because Waitsfield made him use his own car,” said Susan Hoyt. “Moretown gave him a mail delivery vehicle. Now, there's no delivery at all.”
According to those who responded the postmaster has even stepped in to deliver routes himself. “He delivered my mail and packages at 7:45 last night,” said Shannon Sumner. “He told me he didn’t leave the post office with the mail until 5 p.m..”
Many residents are picking up their mail at the post office out of necessity. “We had no, or nearly no, delivery for weeks,” said Mary Lehner. “We finally rented a P.O. Box because we had important mail that wasn’t getting to us.”
Others worry about what’s being lost. “We’ve missed appointments and hearings due to delays,” said Morgan Harendza. “We’ve had packages left in snowbanks on the side of Route 17. It’s not what I remember of the post office when I was a kid.”
Some, like Marian Petrides, blame national leadership. “This can be laid squarely at the feet of [Postmaster General Louis] DeJoy,” she said. “He pushed for privatization. USPS jobs used to be desirable. Now they’re underpaid and overworked.”
Despite mounting criticism, residents generally remain supportive of the local postal staff. “They’re overwhelmed and doing their best,” said Claire Lindberg. “If you don’t get mail for a few days, just go down and pick it up.”
Erica Stroem urged compassion: “They have zero carriers. One office gal takes all the grief while the postmaster is out delivering. Thank Amazon. Thank the housing crisis. But the people inside the office are not the enemy.”
Still, for those missing medications, bills or legal notices, the consequences are real. “Is this the new normal?” asked Amy Morse Caffry. “Being understaffed is hard – but communication is essential.”
You might also like
