Over 200 Evergreen Park Residents Respond To Mail Service Survey

EVERGREEN PARK, IL — COVID-19 absences and vacation time are partly to blame for the spotty mail service in Evergreen Park. Residents have been complaining about not receiving mail for days on end since December, with some undelivered mail found dumped in alleys.

Mayor Jim Sexton, Trustee/State Rep. Kelly Burke (36th District), Sen. Bill Cunningham and a representative from Congressman Bobby Rush’s office held a phone conference the Evergreen Park USPS postal branch manager and several upper-level USPS executives on Feb. 5.

“They are very contrite and apologetic about what has happened,” Sexton said in an email to residents, “but no, that does not solve our problems.”

About 200 residents responded to a survey on mail service initiated last month.

“A majority of the complaints were about mail not being delivered, and there were a few complaints about service at the post office in general,” Burke said. “Not just in one area, but throughout the village.”

Some residents have signed up for the USPS “informed delivery” service available to eligible residences. Residents can get a digital preview of the mail and packages coming to their house.

“We heard from a lot of residents who had informed delivery,” Burke said. “Either it never shows up or residents get an email that their mail is ready to be delivered, and they get it three or four days later.”

Staffing is short all over the city, so Evergreen Park carriers are loaned out to different post offices. Remaining Evergreen Park postal staff is then doing two or three routes, which is why one area of will get their mail for a few days and another are gets nothing.

“We were having pretty good service,” Burke said. “COVID-19 has been difficult for mail carriers as well, but this past month service has been really bad.”

Burke called the meeting with the postal branch manager and USPS executives productive. More carriers are being hired within the next few weeks. The Mount Greenwood and Englewood stations, as well as other postal stations on the South Side are also having problems.

“We talked through a plan to improve staffing to minimum delays,” Burke said. “[More mail carriers] are supposed to be in place within the next few weeks.”

For the time being, residents can also pick up their mail at the Evergreen Park post office at 9359 S. Kedzie Ave. Snow and cold temperatures have caused a backlog.

“There were people who haven’t gotten mail in a week and [the postal branch],” Burke said. “[Residents] were starting to get that delivered. I got a bunch Friday and Saturday, hopefully the backlog will be resolved by Tuesday.”

“We’re hoping to see improvement real soon.”