OPINION|
“You did a story on the mail collection boxes on the south side of the main post office at 500 W. Chestnut Expressway. When they were put back, the two boxes were placed so close together you can only use one at a time. If a driver pulls up to one, it's impossible for a second driver to use the other. I believe this will be a problem when it comes to the deadline for mailing tax returns.” — Cheryl Horton, of Springfield
I reviewed my notes from my 1974 college course on investigative reporting, Cheryl, and drove to the post office to take a close look.
I agree with you. They are positioned so that you can only use one collection box at a time.
I have photographic evidence of this.
Of course, if you're on foot, don't worry about it. But watch out for traffic.
This is a matter for Kansas City
With photos in hand, I contacted the local post office on Chestnut, and I was passed off to Mark Inglett, a spokesman for the postal service. His office is in Kansas City.
You will be pleased to know, Cheryl, that a work order was issued today, Thursday, Feb. 23, by the United States of America Postal Service to reposition these boxes so there is more space between them.
I like to think it was signed by the postmaster general.
“It shouldn't take too long,” Inglett tells me.
When that relocation occurs, I can only imagine the rejoicing at the Internal Revenue Service.
What can I say? If you need a mail box moved a few feet — I'm your man.
Part Two in this saga of collection boxes
I wrote about these very collection boxes in a Dec. 16 story. People were complaining the boxes had been moved to the other side of the building, in the main parking lot on the north side.
The main complaint was that the boxes were far less convenient to use on the north side.
What I discovered is that the post office had moved them because West Tampa Street — the street right behind the post office — had been closed by the city due to flooding damage.
That closure meant drivers with stacks of Christmas cards could not get to the collection boxes.
When the city re-opened West Tampa, it did not inform the post office. So the collection boxes stayed where they were on the north side of the post office.
I let the post office know West Tampa had re-opened and, soon after that, the collection boxes were moved back.
I suppose, in a way, you could say I saved Christmas.
As we now know, they were set too close to each other.
I am eager for the next complaint so I can make this an Answer Man trilogy: The Collection Boxes of West Tampa.
Did someone say “Pulitzer”?
