by Dave Noble, City News Editor
ELMHURST – Annoyed by constant complaining from locals who are overly fond of coupons, employ a 20th century method to pay utility bills, and are still waiting for their Father’s Day card to arrive, Elmhurst Postmaster Daryl Olerud told reporters Thursday afternoon that residents who are not happy with the current post office service “can come get your own damn mail.”
OIerud’s threat to roll out carts of mail to the sidewalk in front of the post office every morning and allow residents to retrieve their own postcards, letters and small packages comes after increased scrutiny over non-delivery and incorrectly-delivered mail. The mental health of residents who often endure 2-3 days without mail delivery has sparked outrage among the community.
“We have 49 routes and only 32 carriers on staff,” said Olerud, noting that extended unemployment benefits from the pandemic and undesirable routes requiring mail carriers to traverse extended front yards, drawbridges, and security detail have contributed to understaffing at the post office. Olerud also indicated that an abnormal amount of “unnecessary” mail has contributed to the problem as well. “Until further notice, we suggest that residents pick up the phone or maybe even visit their relatives in person rather than sending greeting cards for every holiday and birthday.”
While the pandemic helps explain delivery issues over the last 17 months, residents maintain that timely and accurate mail delivery has been problematic for years and that the mail carriers themselves are often to blame.
“This has been going on for a long time now,” said Willow St. resident Sam Buckley, who claims he hasn’t received a Sears catalog or a Reader’s Digest in “ages” and often sees his carrier smoking a cigarette as she fills mailboxes approximately 50 feet from anyone’s door on his block. “On top of that, I get my neighbors’ mail delivered to me all of the time. It’s not my job to tell the Wilsons next door that they are about to have their electricity turned off, or to tell Mr. Lattimore across the street that he is being sued by someone.”
Upon further questioning from reporters, Olerud conceded that harsh conditions such as snow, rain, heat, and the gloom of night often play a factor in mail carriers not completing their rounds.
The Elmhurst Funion 