SOMERVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) — People living in a Somerville community on High Street are confused and frustrated because they are not receiving mail from the postal service.
Most of them suffer from medical issues and are waiting for important documents from their physician related to their conditions.
Shiela Maples is 74 years of age and has lived here on High Street for decades. As part of her survival, she needs her mail that hasn’t come in weeks.
“I don’t know what to do, I just want my mail,” said Maples. “I don’t know where to turn because that post office postmaster will not help.”
Maples said that she sent a letter to the postmaster from her doctor to receive her medications but was turned away.
“They said I don’t care what the letter says it’s not going to come. I’m 74 years old I just want my mail,” said Maples.
Maples and the other tenants then reached out to property owner Daniel Pannell. Pannell says his family has owned this high street community for nearly a century and has never had an issue with mail delivery.
Pannell told News 19 that he’s been going back and forth with the postmaster, who sent him a letter demanding that he fix the road and the debris from around the mailboxes. He says that has never been an issue and it has been rectified for over a month.
“I’ve had the road commissioner come out and look at it and he didn’t see anything wrong,” Pannell explained. “The local police officers came by, and they didn’t see anything wrong and it’s clearly able to deliver mail to. The tenants need the mail, some of them do not have ways to go and get the mail from the post office because they don’t have cars and they are disabled.”
Pannell says that he has reached out to the mayor of Somerville, the city council as well has the United States Postal Service (USPS) central office, but the Somerville postmaster has still refused to deliver the mail.
“I’m tired of waiting and there shouldn’t be a hold-up. Sheila Maples is just a mile away, so come and look at the road and the grass and let them have their mail.”
News 19 contacted the central office which is looking into the issue.
