Healey Square post office boxes removed

By
The Martha's Vineyard Times
-
6
The boxes were removed Saturday morning. —Eunki Seonwoo

The Oak Bluffs post office removed its outdoor mailboxes on Saturday morning after scrutiny from the town select board.

The new boxes at the Kennebec Avenue post office were meant to reduce postal wait times — a frequent complaint among customers. But the board sought their removal this September, stating that the installation surprised them and that the office did not ask for necessary permission to alter its property, which it rents from the town. The boxes appear in Healey Square, a newly updated area in downtown Oak Bluffs.

The board announced the removal at their meeting this Tuesday, adding that the office can submit a proper application for the boxes.

At a September 10 select board meeting, chair Gail Barmakian noted that if someone were injured somehow by the boxes, the town would be vulnerable to litigation.

She also said last month that a proper application would allow the town and office to collaborate on a design.

Residents had a mixed reaction to the boxes, with some saying that they got in people’s way while others were hopeful that wait times would decrease.

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6 COMMENTS

  1. Can you please ask the OB postmaster why they thought they didn’t need to ask the town to install those boxes on town property? You know, actual reporting. As someone who supports the installation of the boxes I’m infuriated that the PO did this without approval insuring the ultimate removal of the boxes. I want to know why the PO thought this was ok? They should be held accountable.

    • I echo Scott…questions about OB postmaster. Were they asked about their thinking? If the postmaster was asked but refused to comment that’s relevant. If question were not asked I’d like to know why.

  2. The Post Office thought that boxes would provide better service to their customers.
    The Federal Government could take the space by Eminent Domain.
    We must continue to fight back against improved USPS service . . .

    “They should be held accountable.” Fired? Arrested? The Post Master General?

    • Neither but I would like to know what her response is the question; Why did they think it was ok to install the boxes on town property without asking the town first? In all the articles I’ve read on this subject that was never addressed.

Comments are closed.