Residents buying homes in some new Athens subdivisions have had trouble getting mail delivered – six weeks of trouble in a few cases.
A Realtor with Legacy Home Group said two of her customers – a couple from San Antonio and a couple from Detroit – waited six weeks to get mail delivered to their new homes on Summerfield Drive in Legacy Grove subdivision. The new residential development – with homes in the $200,000s, a clubhouse, a pool and lakes – is about a mile south of U.S. 72, east of Mooresville Road.
A few residents in other new residential developments have reported similar but slightly shorter delays.
The problem is larger than the hassle of driving downtown to get one’s mail each day.
“They have trouble getting phone or cable service without an address,” said Realtor and broker Marie Eubanks.
An official with the Athens Post Office admits there have had problems swiftly getting mail to the few residents in the new and expanding development.
“We are certainly trying to get that rectified as soon as possible,” said John Walker, postal delivery supervisor and customer service manager. “It generally does not take that long; it should take a couple of weeks once the request is made.”
A shortage of supervisors prompted the delay, he said.
“It is kind of an odd circumstance,” Walker said. “We have been shorthanded on management here. We were down one supervisor — the office usually has two supervisors and a post master — and I have just come to the office recently, within the past couple of months.”
He said he addressed the problem on Summerfield Drive himself.
“I rode those myself a little over a week ago and had to wait for the district headquarters in Birmingham to get it put into the system. And I’ve been telling them (the letter carriers) to go ahead and deliver the mail.”
In order to have mail delivered to a new address (assuming the street is named and the house is assigned by E-911) residents must fill out a request at the Post Office to extend delivery, Walker said.
They can also get a form from a letter carrier – if they see one.
Once that is done, a postal official will drive to the location.
“I have to go out there because the carriers get paid on the number of boxes plus the distance, and I have to clock the miles,” Walker said.
Eubanks said she called The News Courier because the delay inconvenienced her customers but also because she and her customers could not find out how much longer the process would take.
On Thursday, a spokesman at Legacy said the problem on Summerfield Drive had been resolved and the residents were receiving their mail.
Local News
Residents complain of delays with mail
- Local News
-
-
Alabama lawmakers return for 2012 regular session
Alabama legislators return to Montgomery for the 2012 regular session facing a full agenda that will include giving Alabama's toughest in the nation immigration law a tune up and balancing the budgets in what promises to be a difficult budget year.
-
Alabama legislators to get gloomy budget forecasts
Legislators arriving in Montgomery for the start of the 2012 legislative session will get hit with bad news.
-
Albertville school wins national recycling competition
Students at a north Alabama school are champions of a national recycling competition.
-
Thach Road house fire investigated
Limestone officials have asked the deputy state fire marshal to determine what caused a fire that destroyed about half of a home on Thach Road Saturday night in northeastern Limestone County.
-
School board to vote on land for Ardmore gym
Limestone County school board members are expected to vote tonight on whether to buy additional land near Ardmore High School to build a better gymnasium.
-
County, city OK Carpenter incentives
The Limestone County Commission and Athens City Council approved a host of incentives Monday for Pennsylvania steel company Carpenter Technology Corporation, which plans to construct a facility off U.S. 31 just north of Calhoun Community College.
-
MORE STORIES: Click LOCAL NEWS bar at top left
Click "Local News" bar at top left for more stories
-
BREAKING: County, city approve incentives for steel plant
The commission agreed to a sales tax abatement in the amount of $8.162 million through July 2014 and a property tax abatement of more than $13.9 million over 10 years.
- Relay for Life team hosts fishing tourney to help fight cancer
-
State children's choir to perform in Athens
The choir will appear at First Baptist Church in Athens at 10:30 a.m. March 4 during morning worship services.
- More Local News Headlines
-
Alabama lawmakers return for 2012 regular session
Stranded Fishermen Rescued From Bay of Green Bay
Analyst: Outside Troops Won't Intervene in Syria
Murder Trial for Ex-U.Va. Lacrosse Player Begins
NY Giants Touch Down Victorious
Police: Father Planned Deadly Fire for Some Time
US, UK Pressure on Syria; More Homs Violence
Raw Video: Mass Killer Wants Medal, Freedom
Few Answers in Death of Sons of Missing Utah Mom
Court Strips Contador of Tour De France Title
Runaway Goat Leads Police on Wild Chase
And the Winner for Best Super Bowl Ad Is...
Raw Video: Deadly Helicopter Crash in Australia
Raw Video: Smoke, Purported Gunfire in Syria
Romney Latest Poll to Join Let-me-explain Club
Blast Kills Husband of Missing Utah Mom, 2 Boys
Obama: US, Israel Will Work Against Iran Nukes
NJ Museum Finds 19th Century Recording
Snow Causes Disruptions in Much of Europe
Clinton: Vetoed U.N. Syria Resolution 'travesty'
Romney Picks Up Decisive Win in Nevada Caucuses
