Islanders air it out at mail meeting with USPS rep

Residents packed Town Hall for a meeting with a United States Postal Service representative Wednesday evening.

Old grievances (some stretching back years and still unresolved) were presented, but residents got something new to consider: Problems getting mail on Shelter Island have even greater consequences than many realized. They also received promises their difficulties would be researched, but most left without much optimism that solutions would be on the horizon any time soon.

“There were no proposed solutions and that’s sad,” said resident Bob Fredericks after the meeting. Mr. Fredericks added that he had expected a United States Postal Service representative to be able to answer some of the specific questions he and others have raised.

Instead, they got Randy Sauber, USPS manager of address management systems, saying frequently, “I can’t answer that.” But Mr. Sauber said he would carry the complaints back to his manager to see what might be done to ease the difficulties.

Problems in getting timely bills have affected peoples’ credit scores. And some paying taxes on time have been assessed late fees because envelopes containing their checks lacked a postmark date that proved the check was in on time, according to Sue Klenawicus.

Those long-time residents who found their names missing from the voter rolls when they went to cast ballots in the January special election were likely victims of the confusion arising from the two Island ZIP codes, according to Wade Badger, Shelter Island poll chairman. The Suffolk County Board of Elections typically sends postcards to voters reminding them of elections and listing their polling place. But if a card fails to get delivered to the voter and is returned to the Board of Elections, the person’s name is removed from the active voter rolls, Mr. Badger said.

Herb Loinig wanted to know what happens to all the mail that doesn’t get delivered. Does it end up being dumped? Mr.Loinig asked. That may have been a reference to a March 25 story from the Reporter about the discovery in August 1993 that stacks of mail were found discarded at the town’s recycling center. Then Center postmaster Estelle Simes said third class mail that lacked post office box numbers was routinely dumped. But Jimmy Payne, who found the mail stacks, said it wasn’t all third class mail.

“This is more than concern — this is sheer anger,” Mr. Loinig said, telling Mr. Sauber about difficulties getting mail from the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles and Cablevision.

Patricia Shillingburg tried ordering new cell phones from AT&T this week, only to run into problems with that company’s database, which doesn’t list Shelter Island ZIP codes because cellphone can’t be sent to post office box numbers. She actually went to an Apple store to purchase her iPhones, only to learn that she had to go to the nearby AT&T store and even then there were difficulties. Eventually she got her phones with one hitch — while her bills come to her box number on Shelter Island, she is now listed as living at the AT&T store.

The stories went on for about an hour, mostly with comments from Mr. Sauber that he didn’t have answers, but would look into the various problems.

What about offering enhanced services on Shelter Island, one resident wanted to know. Enhanced services provide that street addresses could be used in place of post office box numbers, providing emailed notifications that a person has mail awaiting pickup at the post office. A resident’s signature is on file at the post office so that mail requiring a signature can be accepted and held for the intended recipient.

A petition signed by at least 200 residents can get the ball rolling in that direction. Petitions are online at http://about.usps.com/forms/ps4027.pdf.

Congressman Tim Bishop’s communications director, Oliver Longwell, who organized Wednesday’s meeting, promised to follow up with Mr. Sauber and to advise Islanders of any fixes that might be forthcoming. The hope was that something could be done in the short term with the Department of Motor Vehicles to facilitate delivery of its mail to Islanders and avoid their having to travel to Riverhead to handle such routine matters as renewing drivers’ licenses and vehicle registrations.

But both Mr. Longwell and Mr. Sauber noted that some of the problems rest with various companies’ databases that fail to provide enough space for Shelter Island Heights addresses; self-correct ZIP codes despite peoples’ best efforts to list their correct ZIP codes; and sell their lists to others who perpetuate the errors.

Mr. Longwell also promised a follow-up meeting on the Island in about two months to discuss long-term solutions to a lot of the problems cited. In the interim, Islanders can continue to share their problems with Congressman Bishop by emailing him at [email protected]. Others can write to Mr. Bishop at his Southampton Office at 137 Hampton Road, Southampton, N.Y. 11968, or phone (631) 259-8450.