Dear Editor,
I would like to clear the air a little concerning the dismount order from the Gilroy Post Office.
When I was first told to keep the mailbox clear for delivery I checked it and found a four- to six-foot opening in front of my mailbox. There is only room to park one car in front of my house and one in front of most of the other homes in this area. There is left a space between our properties of about four to six feet that leaves the mailboxes open and unobstructed.
This was never an issue of a blocked mailbox. From the beginning it has been an issue of no one can park anywhere on our streets without preventing the mail truck from swinging between two homes in one swooping action. We are not blocking our mailboxes. There is access to the boxes unless someone hogs both spots by parking in the middle of our properties.
Concerning our mail carrier, I believe she was doing what she was told to do. My complaint was not with her, my complaint is with the policy that is countywide. I have spoken to many people about this issue and found it is probably nationwide.
This means that people above the mail carrier, the Postmaster Penny Yates and even her supervisor have passed these decisions down. I do not think anyone should become a sacrificial lamb because upper management decisions. The public should become outraged if any local person has to bear the brunt end of this type of irresponsible management style.
The ones responsible for forcing this type of policy on those under their authority need to be held accountable, NOT Penny Yates, or the carrier.
I think it is about time that the public gets together and protects itself and all the workers who work together to make this a great community by not allowing people who were doing what they were told to be punished in any way.
Reporter Matt King did a great job bringing this to public attention. I hope there will be no rest from this community till the responsibility for the wrong decisions comes to rest where they belong with upper management.
We should not be bullied by people who give us orders and refuse to support us after they have done their dirty deeds.
This is a very public issue across this nation.
Dennis Chatham, Gilroy
