Council wants to hear about the postal service | News, Sports, Jobs

Helped hang wanted signs at the Minot Post Office on Monday.

Postal customers are upset, and the Minot City Council wants to hear directly from the U.S. Postal Service about what’s behind the issues with the local Postal Service.

Council member Lisa Olson requested on Monday that the Minot postmaster be invited to the Nov. 7 council meeting to provide an update.

“I received a very interesting email from a resident a few days ago, and I think what he was saying reflects what a lot of people in Minot and the area are going through and that is delays in their mail service, says Olson. “I think we can all assume it’s probably a staff shortage.

“We are fully aware that we have no authority over the USPS. But I think it would be helpful if we could hear from the postmaster and get a little more understanding.” she says.

She suggested that a better understanding could help residents plan. Residents who rely on the postal service for medication, for example, can be negatively affected if there’s a three- or four-day delay they hadn’t anticipated, she said.

Residents reported newspapers arriving days late, sporadic delivery of mail, misdirected mail and long post office queues as people try to pick up undelivered mail or ask where to go. find their mail. One individual said he stood for 45 minutes in a line Monday that stretched across the building.

Senator John Hoeven’s office responded to the concerns on Monday in a statement saying: “Our office has heard from residents of the Minot area who are both experiencing problems receiving their mail and delays when seeking assistance from their local post office. Based on the increased concerns recently, we have re-raised these issues with the US Postal Service (USPS) District Office and are also contacting the DC office. Additionally, we are following up with the District Manager of Minnesota USPS Anthony Williams for answers on how the USPS intends to resolve issues, meet local labor needs, and provide residents with reliable mail service and efficient.

In other matters, the board directed staff to develop an action plan regarding potential cost sharing with school and park districts for a sidewalk project along 21st Avenue near the Optimist Soccer Complex. .

According to the city, the engineering department responded to several complaints and requests from the public to install crosswalk and sidewalk improvements along the south side of the avenue. The Engineering Department developed a project concept to add a sidewalk from Ninth Street to approximately Lakeside Drive, with the installation of pedestrian improvements at the intersection of 12th Street and 21st Avenue to accommodate people who walk to the complex due to insufficient parking on site.

Council member Carrie Evans asked for more details as to whether the school or the parks would be interested in participating due to the facilities in the area and whether a phased approach to the project would be best. The actual construction could take place in 2024 if the planning and design work is completed in 2023.

Also during the meeting, resident Scott Samuelson expressed concern about comments made Oct. 3 by councilman Paul Pitner that suggested he tended not to listen to constituents.

“I find this offensive and wrong on so many levels,” Samuelson said. “As residents, we have the right and responsibility to voice our objections or disapproval of spending projects known as investments in our community, such as the unpopular $1 million signage program, and City Council and municipal leaders have an obligation to listen.

Pitner clarified that his statement about negative feedback from Keyboard Warriors referred to a small group of individuals and responded to Olson’s reference to the negativity expressed in some social media posts criticizing wayfinding signage. He said he listens to constituents who reach out to him and takes their views seriously.

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