CBS Chicago: Rep. Quigley Awaiting Response from Postmaster General Concerning Poor Mail Delivery
REPORTER: Now to a story you'll only see on Two. Today is a holiday, so no one gets mail. But in Lakeview, some residents say that happens all the time. Mail service so bad a Chicago congressman sent a letter to the U.S. Postmaster in Washington. Now, a month later after no response, it makes you wonder if that letter got lost.
QUIGLEY: She either has to take the reins of this responsibility and make the appropriate changes or if she doesn't she has go.
REPORTER: Congressman Mike Quigley wrote a letter Oct. 12 to U.S. Postmaster Megan Brennon. It was a follow-up to a phone conversation about mail delivery that's concerning and unacceptable. The response?
QUIGLEY: I believe it probably got there. I anxiously await a response.
REPORTER: Congressman Quigley surveyed constituents and solicited Facebook comments. "We frequently go one to three days without any mail. I had a dentist bill sent to collections because I never got it. A week now with no mail, including checks. Received a ComEd bill for a person living at an address 15 blocks east of me."
QUIGLEY: This is probably our number one source of complaint.
SMITH: It's frustrating.
REPORTER: Melissa smith has frequent mail issues.
SMITH: We have been having wrong packages.
REPORTER: Packages for neighbors down the street showing up in her foyer.
SMITH: Sometimes we don't get mail at all, sometimes for several days at a time.
REPORTER: And letters sent back to the sender with big yellow stickers despite having her proper address on them.
SMITH: You're kind of wondering, "OK, what's going on here?"
REPORTER: And then last week this red magnet that reads "postal proud" appeared in smith's mailbox. Remember, mail doesn't show up, but this mystery magnet does.
SMITH: Clearly it was put in there by the postal carrier and I don't know exactly what kind of message was trying to be sent to me but it's not appreciated.
REPORTER: Postal trucks bear the slogan "We deliver for you." Congressman Quigley promises that will happen.
QUIGLEY: This is a management problem. It's going to take brains first and then money.
REPORTER: Knowing that today is a holiday – we reached out to the post office on Friday and despite several attempts again today to talk to spokespeople both in Chicago or Washington, we have not heard back and we don't know if the letter ever made it.