Post Office To Elmhurst: Talking Points, Then Details

ELMHURST, IL — Some Elmhurst residents say they are suffering the same issues with their mail service as they did last month. The post office, they say, goes days without delivery.

Patch asked the post office Monday about the issue, but the agency issued the same talking points almost word-for-word that it gave in late May. Pressed for details, the post office provided some.

"Mail is being delivered from the Elmhurst Post Office," Timothy Norman of the U.S. Postal Service said in the first email Monday. "We continue to flex our available resources to match the workload created by the impacts of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. We appreciate the patience of our customers and the efforts of employees as conditions change on a day-to-day basis."

Norman, a Chicago-based spokesman, did not give specifics about what challenges the Elmhurst post office is facing. That was the case in May as well.

After Patch asked for details Monday, Norman provided some.

"We apologize for the disruption in service at the Elmhurst Post Office," he said. "We have experienced staff shortages at this location and are currently using available resources to match the workload created by the impacts of the ongoing Coronavirus (COVID-19) issues. This includes bringing in extra resources to assist at this location."

Last month, Norman asked Patch for specific streets where residents were going without delivery for days. Patch emailed Norman a short list of streets, but he did not reply with answers.

In his messages, Norman urges residents to contact their local post office if they have concerns. They can also visit the post office's "contact us" page to detail their issues.

"Every email will be carefully documented and appropriate action taken to strengthen service," Norman said.