APPLE VALLEY, Minn. — Long lines are expected this time of year at the post office, but for some residents in the south metro, the wait started long before the first holiday light went up.
"It's very frustrating,” Bob Kokos said while leaving the Apple Valley Post Office.
Kokos says the mail service in Apple Valley has been great for most of his life, until a few months ago when the service started slowing down.
"The last couple months has been very sporadic, maybe two days, or if we're lucky, three days a week we’re getting our mail,” Kokos said.
Congresswoman Angie Craig says the United State Postal Service's Office of the Inspector General is now auditing four locations in the south metro, including branches in Apple Valley and Eagan, the New Brighton Carrier Annex and the Saint Paul Processing and Distribution Center, after receiving several complaints from customers.
Congresswoman Craig sent KARE 11 the following statement Monday evening:
“It’s deeply concerning to me that USPS has stated they are “preparing for another successful holiday season,” when I sent them hundreds of messages from my constituents who faced weeks-long mail delivery delays last year - and throughout this year, too.
I’m pushing for accountability from USPS: I’ve asked Postmaster DeJoy to release his holiday mail delivery plan and I’ve introduced legislation to make sure my constituents know when they can expect their mail to arrive. USPS is a service that Minnesotans should be able to rely on – and we’ve got to keep working until that’s what it is.”
Senator Tina Smith is also hearing about problems in northern Minnesota, including Bemidji, where she says postal workers have been told to prioritize Amazon packages over the mail.
"The Postmaster General and his office just flat out deny that, but I'm hearing from people in Minnesota that that's the direction they are getting, so I believe them.”
Senator Smith says the problem is also rooted in staffing shortages and she says many of the employees who are still working say they are forced to work long hours to pick up the slack.
“I have heard from several workers who say they are working 12-hour days six days a week,” Sen. Smith said.
“I have gone directly to the Postmaster General’s office in Washington D.C. and I have gotten letters back telling me everything is fine, that there is nothing to worry about, and that is clearly not the case.”
Senators Smith and Amy Klobuchar have both sent letters to the Postmaster General demanding change.
Congresswoman Craig has also sent letters.
Kokos says he received one of those letters from Congresswoman Craig’s office two weeks ago, saying she and others in Washington are working on these issues with the postal service.
Kokos says he has noticed an improvement in the mail service since he received that letter.
"We have seen temporary improvement. I hope that turns into being a permanent improvement,” Kokos said.
KARE 11 also reached out to the Postal Service for an official comment regarding these audits and customer complaints.
A spokesperson for the Midwest region told KARE 11 reporters to contact the U.S. Postal Service national media office. As of Monday evening, requests for comment and information have not been returned.
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