Rep. Lipinski & Ald. Zalewski Address Delivery Conerns With Clearing Post Office Supervisors

Congressman Dan Lipinski and Alderman Mike Zalewski met with officials from the Clearing Post Office at the end of December to address recent problems with local mail delivery.  Also attending the meeting were Richard Zilka, president of the Clearing Civic League, and Stanley Lihosit, president of the Archer Heights Civic Association. 

"Complaints about mail being delivered late in the day or sometimes delayed for many weeks have peaked at my office recently," Lipinski said.  "My office is working with the new supervisor at the post office to ensure that mail is delivered in a much more timely manner."

According to Zalewski, "The current level of service at the Clearing Post Office is unacceptable.  I want the people of the 23^rd Ward to know that we are striving to bring mail service up to par.  We demand better."

Lipinski, Zalewski, Lihosit, and Zilka expressed to the postal officials many of the troubles with mail delivery that local residents have been experiencing recently, including mail delivery late in the day, checks received weeks or months late, and poor customer service by local postal service employees.  Some of these problems were said to have come from changes in routes instituted in the past six months and the failure of a new computerized mail sorting procedure that is being used.  Also cited was a lack of steady leadership - there have been 5 regional managers in the past 5 years - but with a new Chicago Regional Manager, Gloria Tyson, there will be an opportunity for the necessary improvements to occur. 

"Our biggest complaints come from constituents who were mistreated at the counter.  No one deserves to be treated like an inconvenience to employees at the post office," Zalewski said.  "We're just looking for some common courtesy."

Rep. Lipinski stated, "We had a very productive dialogue with the Clearing Post Office supervisors and we have all pledged to continue to work together to make sure these problems are solved.  I will also take these issues to the new Chicago Postmaster and to the Postal Service in Washington to get the help that local residents need."