The Case Against The
UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE REFUSAL TO DELIVER MAIL
The following is an on-going report of the Georgetown, Ohio postmaster's unwarranted and illegal withholding of mail to my legally located and maintained mailbox located at 6500 Hillman Ridge Road. Pleasant Township, Brown County, Ohio.
This is getting INTERESTING. Because I was unable to receive USPS admissions of their wrong doing and restore my mailbox to its rightful location through their bureaucracy, I wrote to President Trump. He contacted the USPS and they wrote me a letter that was only a rubber-stamp/CYA of the their previous positions including a refusal to tender answers to my questions of their ignoring state and federal laws. The letter, dated 14 September 2018, was from Patricia Irons, Manager, Public Policy Planning and Analysis, 475 L'Enfant Plaza, Washington, D.C. 20260-3500
I wrote Ms. Irons (21 Sep 2018) requesting answers to the questions. As of this date, 28 Dec 2018, she/they have ignored my requests. I'll keep this site updated as events to unfold.
PRIVATE INVESTIGATORS REPORT...excerpted transcript of the recorded conversation between Mike Rolfes, a Licensed Private Investigator and the Georgetown, OH Postmaster, Scott Compton in Mr. Compton's office. I hired the P.I. to determine the motives in forcing me to move my legally located mailbox. He also recorded a phone conversations that is even more revealing. His investigation, coupled with other evidence, proves conclusively that the motives were not purely for “safety” reasons.
Mr. Compton: “It's because of the width of the road, which is a single lane road and the carrier has been having trouble going down that driveway. Well he, he meets somebody, somebody, another neighbor down there and they'd get a big fight and nobody will back up and nobody will move and it just, it's, it just got old and she um, neighbor went around him, scratched her car on a tree branch or something then to try to give us the bill and we're not allowed to back-up our vehicles whatsoever, but it's just a mess down there and yeah, it does have to come out to the road.” 1 Feb 2018
.
22 Nov 2024, Suit filed against USPS.
8 July 2024, I hand delivered a letter to the newest postmaster for 45121, Mary, requesting the move of my mailbox back to my property line at the end of Hillman Ridge Road. She said she'd look into it.
On 22 Jul 2024, I visited the Georgetown P.O. (45121) to learn Mary was on maternity leave and Temporary Postmaster, Bret was taking her place. He had not seen the letter, thus I gave him a copy. Within a week he visited the subject portion of the roadway, saying he didn't think it was "unsafe", but he'd check with the Safety Department.
On 20 Aug 2024, I visited the 45121 P.O. and spoke with Bret who said he had not heard back from the Safety Department and that I could "Go ahead and move the mailboxes". A letter confirming his permission to move the boxes was left in the mailbox for him.
25 Aug 2024 the boxes for 6500 and 6510 were moved to the property line at the end of Hillman Ridge Road.
26 Aug 2024 ... mail was not deliverd to the boxes.
28 Aug 2024. Visit Georgetown P.O. spoke with Bret, Temporary Postmaster. He acknowledged he had given me permission to move the boxes and then said the carrier refuses to deliver to them and he can't order the carrier to do so. I told him I would be filing suit.
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UPDATE 18 April 2018:
USPS not only ignores its own rules, but condones violations of state criminal statutes (
ORC 4511.26) and federal criminal code
(US CODE) (see below THE YEARS 2014-2017, 1c).
In addition to these blatant criminal acts, the following questions, recently posed to the USPS Postmaster General, Megan Brennan, have all gone unanswered:
1) Why is the USPS allowed to ignore the violation of state and federal laws committed against the USPS that cause me to be the punished victim?
2) PO 603, Section 13 (Basic Carrier Duties), Subsection 132 (Delivery and Collection), Rule 132.3: “Use ingenuity and knowledge of local roads to provide as complete service as possible when portions of the route cannot be traveled with the vehicle ordinarily used.” Why does the USPS refuse to address the solution (ingenuity) of adding multiple pull-overs and/or mirrors to a road that is no more “unsafe” than other area roads that don’t have such items?
3) Are the actions/inactions of the USPS in this matter “arbitrary, capricious, an abuse of discretion, or otherwise not in accordance with law” under 5 USC 760?
Previous UPDATES: THIS SITE WILL BE UPDATED AS NEWS OCCURS. PLEASE CHECK BACK.
PREFACE;
As events unfold in this abuse of power, I will be posting updates to this website USPS NEWS for reference by the media, my fellow Brown Countians and my elected officials. As I have explained below, Postmaster, Scott Compton, Georgetown, Ohio post office, unilaterally halted delivery of mail to my mail box on the pretext of claiming the road is "Unsafe". Inasmuch as there have been no deterioration to the subject road (actually improvements) it is most mystifying as to why this action was taken, especially since he and his superior will not tender a definition of "Unsafe".
Without delivery of mail a round trip of ten miles to the Georgetown post office is necessary to claim my mail. My wife and I are 75 years old and with the cold weather coming on and the cost of gasoline, we find it difficult to make this journey on a daily basis and thus are only getting mail a few times per week.
STATEMENT OF THE CASE:
On 20 Oct 2017, The Georgetown office of the United States Postal Service (USPS), through its agents, unilaterally and without just cause terminated delivery of mail to my box located at 6500 Hillman Ridge Road, Pleasant Township, Brown County, Ohio. This capricious act was done without notice or warning and has never been justified. I don’t doubt the Postmaster has the power and right to temporarily suspend delivery of my mail for downed trees, power lines, washouts or even a road that has deteriorated over time. But this is not the case with Hillman Ridge Road which has been improved upon since delivery began over two years ago. Whereas Postmaster Compton has indicated other roads may be deemed “Unsafe” and other patrons will have their mail held hostage, this could result in a class action suit (see 2 e viii).
THE POSTAL EMPLOYEES:
John M. Smith: Georgetown, OH Postmaster up to about 2015 - John.M.Smith4@usps.gov
Scott Compton: Georgetown, OH Postmaster from about early 2016 to present - Scott.A.Compton@usps.gov (937-378-1055)
Derrick ___: Regular carrier from at least 2014 up to present
Lisa Chapman-Walters: Supervisor who approved the moving of my mailbox in 2015 - Lisa.m.chapman-walters@usps.gov
c) On 26 Oct 2016, an incident occurred where my neighbor, Ina Clark (6510 Hillman Ridge Road), refused to yield to the oncoming postal carrier, Derrick, while on this ¼-mile portion of the subject road. My wife and I witnessed this confrontation: We were NB and came upon the scene where Ina Clark was out of her NB pickup truck vehicle yelling at the postal carrier who was in his SB postal vehicle. The Clark vehicle was in the center of the road and the postal vehicle was pulled over onto the shoulder of the west (SB) side of the road. I exited my vehicle to see what the problem was and was told by the postal vehicle driver, Derrick, that Ms. Clark wouldn't pull over or back up to allow the vehicles to pass. This is a violation of Ohio state criminal statute (ORC 4511.26) and the federal criminal code (US CODE). When I turned to Ms. Clark, she stated she couldn't pass the postal vehicle and didn't know how to back up her truck. I offered to back her vehicle up for her and she refused. I told her, I'd back onto the shoulder, she could then back past me and I would pull out and drive around the postal vehicle. Then she could remain in the shoulder pull-over while the postal vehicle passed her and then she could resume her NB travels. She agreed and began wild gyrations (only way to describe it) of first backing hard one way and then backing hard the other way. At one point she backed partly off the road into some brush before pulling forward and continuing this wild gyration backing until she was past me. The total backing distance was about three car lengths.
She then filed a complaint with the post office claiming the road was “unsafe”. Postmaster Compton, without notification to me, stopped the delivery of mail to my box. He told me later that he has to have the Safety Department inspect the road to determine if it is safe. On 4 Nov 2016, Compton visited my home and told me the Safety Department will have their inspection of the subject road complete no later than 9 Nov 2016 and if they find the road to be safe, my mail delivery will resume. He also said, he, personally, didn’t see any safety problem when he drove over the subject portion of the road. Mail delivery to my box resumed Thursday,, 9 Nov 2016 and was continuously delivered until 20 Oct 2017.
d) The subject road dead ends at my property line. Other than my wife and me plus the neighbor and maybe her daughter are the only regular travelers over this portion of Hillman Ridge Road. Any other traffic would be delivery vehicles such as UPS, FedEx et. al., none of which have ever indicated to me that the road was “unsafe”.
2) THE YEAR 2017:
a) On 17 October 2017, while transacting business at the Georgetown post office, Postmaster Compton ushered me into his office and told me, I will have to move my mailbox (to its pre-2015 location ¼ mile north). He said the reason is the final ¼ mile of the subject road needs to be larger or additional pull-overs added and that the road is “Unsafe”. Compton refused to provide a definition of “Unsafe”.
b) Between the time the box was moved on 11 April 2015 and 20 Oct 2017, the subject road has been repaved with blacktop and all the over-hanging limbs have been removed from the east side of the road and all vegetation/brush has been removed on the west side of the road. In other words, the conditions of the road have improved. To my knowledge there have been no reported accidents on this section of road in the 11 years I’ve lived here. The road has existed for well over 100 years.
c) On 20 Oct 2017 delivery of mail to my mail box located at 6500 Hillman Ridge Road, Pleasant Township, Brown County, Ohio was halted. Postmaster, Scott Compton unilaterally, without notice and without cause, ordered his carrier, Derrick, not to deliver mail to my box.
d) On Monday morning, 23 October 2017, I phoned Postmaster Scott Compton. He advised that the carrier refuses to travel over the subject road due to unspecified safety concerns.
e) Subsequent email and conversations with the postmaster and his superior, Dennis Williams, brought forth the following revelations:
i) The post office will deliver mail to my box if the Township added pull-overs to the road;
ii) The post office will not accept pull-overs – only a full widening of the road;
iii) The postal “Safety Department” inspected the road 7 Nov 2017 and found the road to be "Unsafe" (the same “Safety Department that found the road to be safe in 2016?). They issued a report that was emailed to postmaster Compton. This was weeks after Postmaster Compton unilaterally declared the subject road "Unsafe" and halted my mail delivery.
iv) After numerous email requests, both Mr. Compton and Mr. Williams have refused to provide a copy of this report. (See Note 2)
v) After numerous email requests, both Mr. Compton and Mr. Williams have refused to provide answers to my questions: What conditions have changed to suddenly make the road “unsafe”? What is the USPS definition of “unsafe”? (See Note 3)
vi) I have offered to pick up my mail two days per week if they will deliver the mail the other four days while we all negotiate with the Township Trustees to improve the road. The offer was refused.
vii) I emailed the following to Williams and Compton on 16 Nov 2017: “If I agree to moved my mailbox to its previous location will the USPS agree to waive the half-mile rule, i.e., deliver to my door any packages that won’t fit into my mailbox or mail that requires a signature?” The email was ignored.
viii) On 2 Nov 2017, I met with Pleasant Township Trustee, Frank Helbling. He told me there are many roads “worse” than the final 1/4 mile of Hillman Ridge Road. When I related that information to Scott Compton with the question, “Does this mean others will be facing discontinuation of their mail delivery?” Compton answered, “yes”.
3) CARRIER DERRICK:
a) 23 October 2017, 2:30pm, I stopped carrier Derrick on his route. He told me he is concerned for his safety on the subject road, but admitted he has never been in an accident on the subject road that he travels six days per week for the past two plus years. Most significantly, he stated he believed, “the neighbor at 6510 Hillman Ridge Road told her sons not to back up for the mail carrier.” If carrier Derrick feels threatened or intimidated, he should bring this matter to the attention of law enforcement authorities. There is no record or claim he has done so.
b) Carrier Derrick also told me the USPS Safety Department has ruled the subject portion of the road is unsafe and he has been ordered by Compton not to deliver my mail. In addition, he said the subject dead-end road is too narrow and doesn’t have enough pull-overs thus necessitating the rare times he must back up to allow an oncoming vehicle to pass. He admitted that many roads he travels have narrow portions that require pulling over or someone backing up. Inasmuch as carrier Derrick has never been involved in an accident on the subject road, his concerns seem to be strictly for a matter of his convenience of not having to backup or waiting a few minutes for the road to clear - rare occurances.
c) Further, he then told me postal regulations require that he is not allowed to back up. When I pointed to the obvious sign on the dashboard of his postal vehicle, directly in front of him, saying, in large bold letters: “AVOID BACKING UP IF NOT NECESSARY” he conceded he was allowed to back up when necessary.
4) The Year 2018 (as of 18 April 2018)
a) In January, Postmaster Compton ordered me to move my mailbox back to its original location or he would begin marking all my mail "Return to Sender". This was in total conflict of his promise to allow me to pick up my mail at the post office until all appeals had run.
b) A formal letter was sent to PostmasterGeneral Megan Brennan outlining the USPS offenses.
c) Congressman Brad Wenstrup's office became involved in an effort to mediate the issue.
d) The USPS has repeatly refused to acknowledge or discuss the options and suggestions I have tendered to resolve the matter in violation of their own rule requiring “Use ingenuity and knowledge of local roads to provide as complete service as possible when portions of the route cannot be traveled with the vehicle ordinarily used.”
a) There seems to be a dispute as to when the “Safety Department” visited the road and how many times, if ever.
b) There have been no law enforcement reports of accidents on the subject road.
c) The mailbox for 6500 Hillman Ridge Road was legally located with the approval of the USPS. The USPS had ample time to determine the safe or "Unsafe" conditions of the subject road BEFORE allowing me to move my mailbox.
d) The postal service has a legal obligation to deliver the mail to that location.
e) The road conditions for the subject road has not deteriorated. To the contrary, the road was resurfaced two years ago. On the west side the vegetation/over-growth has been stripped and fence line removed and over-hanging limbs trimmed on the east side in early to mid-October 2017
f) At the very least, Georgetown Postmaster Scott Compton is guilty of:
i) MISFEASANCE: Using his power to halt delivery of my mail without just cause;
ii) NON-FEASANCE: Failed to deliver my mail without just cause, as he is legally required to do;
iii) MALFEASANCE: Conspired with Mr. Dennis Williams and carrier Derrick (and maybe others) to continue to withhold delivery of my mail without just cause.
g) Yes the ¼ mile section of this dead-end road is narrow and yes there are very few places to pull-over and yes it is an inconvenience if one has to back up to a pull-over – but this is a very short section of road and there is very little traffic and thus two vehicles meeting where one has to back up is very rare. There are many other portions of Brown County roads that have these same conditions.
h) If the USPS wishes the subject road to be widened and/or pull-overs added, it is an issue they should take up with the Township Trustees – not punish me.
i) The USPS ignored the violation of state and federal laws committed against the USPS that cause me to be the punished victim?
j) The USPS has ignored their own rule: PO 603, Section 13 (Basic Carrier Duties), Subsection 132 (Delivery and Collection), Rule 132.3: “Use ingenuity and knowledge of local roads to provide as complete service as possible when portions of the route cannot be traveled with the vehicle ordinarily used.” Why does the USPS refuse to address the solution (ingenuity) of adding multiple pull-overs and/or mirrors to a road that is no more “unsafe” than other area roads that don’t have such items?
k) The actions/inactions of the USPS in this matter are “arbitrary, capricious and an abuse of discretion, or otherwise not in accordance with law” under 5 USC 760?
l) The evidence concludes the USPS not only ignores its own rules, but condones violations of state criminal statutes (ORC 4511.26) and federal criminal code (US CODE).
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[email correspondence between Chuck Klein and Lisa Chapman-Walters - *** message separations. BOLD and italics added]
From: Chapman-Walters, Lisa M -
Cincinnati, OH
Sent: Thursday, April 16, 2015 7:53 AM
To: cklein@chuckkleinauthor.com
Cc: Smith, John - Georgetown, OH ; Ferguson, Sherri K - Cincinnati, OH
Subject: Georgetown Customer Service
Mr. Klein,
I am in receipt of your recent email regarding the movement
of your mailbox on Hillman Ridge Road. After discussing the issue with the
current Postmaster in Georgetown, the placement of your mailbox will be
permitted at the end of your driveway on 6500 Hillman. In addition, you
will not be required to retain a letter from Pleasant Township Trustees nor will
you be required to create a turn-around for the mail carrier.
In closing , I would like to extend an apology for the
inconvenience this issue may have given you. I would further like to add
if there are any additional issues please do not hesitate to call on
me.
Lisa
Chapman-Walters
A/MPOO Area 3
Lawrenceburg Post Office
(812) 537-2626
*************************************************
email correspondence between Chuck Klein and Dennis Williams - *** message separations, BOLD and italics added]
From: Chuck Klein
Sent: Wednesday, November 15, 2017 11:52 AM
To: Williams Jr, Dennis W - Cincinnati, OH
Cc: Post Office Chapman-Walters
Subject: Re: Hillman Ridge - Last try
I’m trying to obtain all the available information in order to be well informed at any such meeting. I need to see the dated “safety” report(s) and I need answers to previous questions and proposals. To reiterate, resume my mail delivery by Friday, 17 Nov 2017, and promise not to disrupt my mail delivery in the future and all will square, i.e., I won’t file suit. ck
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From: Williams Jr, Dennis W - Cincinnati, OH
Sent: Wednesday, November 15, 2017 10:38 AM
To: Chuck Klein
Subject: RE: Hillman Ridge - Last try
Mr. Klein,
I am trying to set up a meeting with you or telephone conference to explain the hazardous situation out there. Please advise what your availability is so I can plan accordingly.
Thank you,
Dennis Williams, Jr.
A/Manager Post Office Operations
Area 7 Ohio Valley District
************************************************
From: Chuck Klein [mailto:cklein@chuckkleinauthor.com]
Sent: Wednesday, November 15, 2017 9:18 AM
To: Williams Jr, Dennis W - Cincinnati, OH <Dennis.W.Williams@usps.gov>
Subject: Re: Hillman Ridge - Last try
Please send the “Safety” report that Mr. Compton claims to have and had promised to send to me, but then refused because you told him not to.
Chuck Klein
******************************************************
From: Williams Jr, Dennis W - Cincinnati, OH
Sent: Tuesday, November 14, 2017 11:02 PM
To: Chuck Klein
Subject: RE: Hillman Ridge - Last try
Mr. Klein,
Would you be available anytime this week to discuss your current situation with your mail delivery? I’d like to arrange either a meeting or teleconference with myself and a member of our safety staff to go over the safety hazard.
Please let me know your availability.
Thank you,
Dennis Williams, Jr.
A/Manager Post Office Operations
Area 7 Ohio Valley District
*********************************************
[email correspondence between Chuck Klein and Dennis Williams - *** message separations, BOLD and italics added]
From: Chuck Klein
Sent: Wednesday, November 08, 2017 3:15 PM
To: Williams Jr, Dennis W - Cincinnati, OH
Cc: Postmaster
Subject: Re: Hillman Ridge Mail Delivery
Mr. Williams,
Thank you for your response.
1) What is the definition of unsafe?
2) When did the conditions become unsafe?
3) What changes occurred that resulted in “unsafe” conditions? In other words, if the conditions were safe up until 19 Oct 2017 (last day mail was delivered to my box), what changed to make it unsafe?
In 2016, the Georgetown postmaster ruled the road to be “unsafe”. After 10-days of not delivering my mail and an inspection by the USPS Safety Department, it was determined the road was not “unsafe” and my mail delivery was resumed. What has changed?
Please see attached.
Since you have failed to provide reasonable means to support this unilateral, capricious decision to withhold my mail delivery, I strongly suggest you resume delivery while matters are worked out with the Township Trustees. Unless you agree by no later than Thursday, 9 Nov 2017, I will take the issue up with postal higher-ups, news media, my congressional representative and/or others.
Chuck Klein
****************************************************
From: Williams Jr, Dennis W - Cincinnati, OH
Sent: Wednesday, November 08, 2017 2:48 PM
To: Chuck Klein
Subject: RE: Hillman Ridge Mail Delivery
Mr. Klein,
I had our Safety team out there to evaluate the situation. It was in our best interest to reach out to the local government that is responsible for maintaining Hillman Ridge and ask to widen the road and to accommodate two passing cars. Right now the Postmaster is working with that department to see what solution they can come up with. Unfortunately, at this time I cannot allow mail service to your home as it is unsafe.
We are aggressively trying to determine a solution for your situation. Once we hear back from the local government office we will reach back out to you. I apologize for any inconvenience.
Thank you,
Dennis Williams, Jr.
A/Manager Post Office Operations
Area 7, Ohio Valley District
***********************************************
From: Chuck Klein
Sent: Tuesday, November 07, 2017 2:37 PM
To: dennis.w.williams@usps.gov
Cc: Postmaster
Subject: Hillman Ridge Mail Delivery
Hello Mr. Williams,
Scott Compton has told me you visited my end of Hillman Ridge Road (2 Nov 2017) to determine whether this portion was safe or unsafe. He also told my you would tender a written findings of this visit. Please allow me the courtesy of sending me this report as I have been without mail delivery since 20 Oct necessitating a 10+ mile round trip to the Georgetown post office to retrieve my mail.
Thank you,
Chuck Klein,
6500 Hillman Ridge Road
Georgetown, OH 45121-9325
http://chuckklein.com
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5) PERSONAL OPINION:
a) I believe postmaster Compton is possibly antagonistic because his fellow postmaster, John Smith, was ordered to allow the box to be moved and thus he is seeking retribution (possibly also against Lisa Chapman-Walters who authorized the moving of the box, against the wishes of the then Postmaster, John Smith).
b) The original request to move the mailbox was made to John Smith in 2014. He talked to Frank Helbling, Trustee, who told him the subject ¼ mile road section was township property. Mr. Smith reported back to me that Mr. Helbling told him the road was NOT township property and he couldn’t allow the box to be moved on to a private road. When he was confronted with this untruth, he then wrote a letter on plain paper stating the box could not be moved because the road was not safe. This information was sent to his supervisor, Lisa Chapman-Walters who saw the ruse and ordered him to allow the moving of the box.
c) No active attempts to work out any road improvement with the township have been commenced by any member of the USPS as of this date.
Chuck Klein
6500 Hillman Ridge Road
Pleasant Township, Brown County’
Georgetown, OH 45121-9325
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UPDATE 29 Jan 2018: A complaint and request for intervention has been filed with CONGRESSMAN BRAD WENSTRUP. Though he can, and hopefully will, intervene, he does not have power to over-rule, but he does have the ability to seek a congressional investigation into the dictatorial, arbitrary, capricious and unbridled powers of all postmasters and establishing an accountable appeals division of the USPS.
In a meeting with Postmaster Compton in his office, today, he refused to alter his decison to mark my mail "Return to Sender" if my mailbox is not moved by 8 Feb 2018. In addition, he again refused my compromise suggestion that I rent a POB and all mail addressed to me would be deposited there until my appeals had run. He also told me he has not stopped sending mail to other locations that have roads that are not wide enough for two cars to pass. When pressed as to what conditions had changed to cause my road to become "unsafe" he replied that the carrier complained that the traffic had become too heavy on my section of the road. I then asked him if he has any traffic flow studies or documentations - any written reports of his or the carrier's - to back up this statement? His reply, "No". To the contrary, there has been no increase in traffic to the subject road, it still is only for two families with typical traffic of an occasional delivery truck. Compton also added that adding pull-overs will not suffice - only a road wide enough for two vehicles to pass.
A cursory check of various roads in Brown County clearly show many without sufficient width for two vehicles to pass - to be as "unsafe" or worse than Hillman Ridge Road. Yet the dwellers on these roads continue to receive their mail. An example of these roads with no pull-overs, and blind corners include:
* Rolling Acres Drive (a 3/4 mile GRAVEL road);
* Myers Hollow Road (a 1/2 mile paved road)
Finally, Mr. Compton told me the actions he has taken against me are NOT personal. To which I reply: When you exercise your power – or refuse to exercise your power - I consider it personal to:
1) Tell me I can pick up my mail at the PO until my appeals have run, then issue a written order that you will be returning my mail to sender unless I move my box by a certain date;
2) Refuse my reasonable offer to rent a POB until the appeals have run;
3) When you tell me you will contact me after talking to your boss and fail to email or phone with with the results of your conversation;
4) When you told me repeatedly that you would email the safety department report that you had received and still have failed to do so.
5) I will consider it personal if you do not explain your unreasonable and personal acts.
UPDATE 23 Jan 2018: Back in November when I learned Postmaster Compton was terminating mail delivery to my legally located mailbox, I filed an appeal with the USPS Comsumer Affairs Department. They acknowledged receipt of the complaint and promised to "work with you until the case is resolved". When I hadn't heard from them by 19 Jan 2018, I called and spoke with "Kim" who said she was finished with her investigation and would send me an email of the findings. After a few days, I sent a follow-up reminder to please send the promised report. I'm still waiting.
In the meantime, I have filed a complaint with the Postal Inspector's General's office.The IG has forwarded my complaint of Postmaster Compton's order to return all my mail to sender (See USPS Letter Threatening to Return Mail) – against Compton's promise not to, to the Consumer Affairs Department. This, of course, is the same Consumer Affairs Department that has failed to tender a findings of their investigation (see update 23 Jan 2018).
Another Lie? On 18 Jan 2018, I visited the Georgetown P.O. and spoke with Postmaster Compton to offer a compromise to his threat to begin marking my mail "Return to Sender" if I didn't move my mailbox within 30 days (See USPS Letter Threatening to Return Mail). I offered to rent a POB and thus he could just have my mail addressed to the Hillman Ridge location deposited in this rented box where I could retreive it until the appeals have run (the USPS will be making money on the rental of the box). He promised to discuss this with his boss, Dennis Williams, and respond back to me. As of today (23 Jan 2018)- with time getting short - he has not had the courtesy to contact me. I've lost count of the times he made promises that he didn't keep.
UPDATE 23 Jan 2018: Postmaster Compton, in a most dastardly and ungentlemanly decree, personally ordered me to move my mail box in 30 days or he will have all mail addressed to me marked "Return to Sender". This is in contravention to his explicit agreement to allow me pick up my mail at the post office until the appeals have run. He is acting as a judge, jury and executioner - even a common criminal has the right to freedom until sentence is carried out. (See USPS Letter Threatening to Return Mail)
UPDATE 15 Dec 2017: The Brown County Press newspaper has published an accounting with a request for persons with similar mail delivery problems or the fear thereof. (See Newspaper 1)
UPDATE 30 Nov 2017: The letter included below is indicative of what I am having to deal with. (See USPS Letter 1)
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COMMENTS ON THE LETTER:
* It is unsigned;
* A letter to me – not the “report” I requested and they said they would send (if it exists at all);
* It purports to be post dated inasmuch as they have been claiming the visit was weeks ago;
* No return address or contact information;
* “... two other safety specialists....” not named;
* If they were writing to me, why is the line “We recommend the customer move....” instead of reading We recommend YOU move....
* The letterhead reads, “Human Resources,” which traditionally deals with personnel – not safety issues?
* Interesting to note that the "Safety Specialist" only recommends moving the mailbox while Compton is okay with adding pull-overs to the road and Williams demands widening the road. Humm, something just doesn't smell right.
* According to PO 603, Rule 522, the postmaster has the power to “identify hazardous conditions and take appropriate action to correct them.” However, the term “hazardous conditions” is not mentioned in Jeffrey Ware’s letter. Further, the USPS has not taken any action (appropraite or not) as to correct conditions they believe are "unsafe" or Hazardous". It is also not true that two cars can’t pass. If I took them to court, what would/could they say?
BROWN COUNTY PRESS Sunday, 10 Dec 2017
Postmaster Scott Compton has told me that persons with mailboxes on narrow roads will have their mail delivery terminated until the road is brought up to undefined USPS standards. This is happening to me. Without warning or notification, Mr. Compton, on his own, ordered his carrier not to deliver mail to my box located at the end of Hillman Ridge Road because it was “unsafe”. He – and his supervisor, Dennis Williams (Cincinnati) – have refused to define “unsafe” and have not answered my questions of when did the road become “unsafe” or what changes have occurred to make the road “unsafe”. To the contrary: within the past two years the subject road has been made “safer” by a full repaving with fresh blacktop and all of the vegetation/brush has been cleared from the west side of the road and over-hanging limbs from the east side – in other words, the road has been improved, i.e., made “safer”.
COMMENTS: If no one responds, it might be indicative of the Postmaster not being truthful. In other words, he is only after me for personal reason and thus is a true abuse of power.
U
CHUCK KLEIN
6500 Hillman Ridge Road
Georgetown, OH 45121
Licensed Private Investigator, (ret.)
Member: Kiwanis, IALEFI, SUVCW
Hand Delivered
27 Feb 2018
Scott,
Americans, if nothing else, are noted for being fair and reasonable. Certainly, our government and its employees have historically set the example. I am appealing to you, a representative of the United States Government, under these conditions.
1) It is unreasonable to insist that the subject road be widened to 2-lanes when even the Safety Officials only require a road that allows “vehicles to pass” – they don’t require the entire road to be wide enough to allow vehicles to pass everywhere. Thus, they are implying that reasonable spaces be provided.
2) It is not reasonable to expect a township to spend huge amounts of money to acquire additional rights-of-way, move utility poles, add culverts and move large amounts of earth to add an additional driving lane.
3) Please be fair and reasonable by consenting to pull-overs on the southern end of Hillman Ridge Road to allow mail delivery to the end of the pavement.
Below is the excerpted transcript of the recorded conversation you had in your office with Mike Rolfes, a Licensed Private Investigator. I hired him to determine your motives in forcing me to move my legally located mailbox. He also recorded the phone conversations you had with him and they are even more revealing. My property is not now, nor has it been, for sale. His story about being the son of a minister was a ruse. His investigation, coupled with other evidence, proves conclusively that your motives are were not purely for “safety” reasons.
“It's because of the width of the road, which is a single lane road and the carrier has been having trouble going down that driveway. Well he, he meets somebody, somebody, another neighbor down there and they'd get a big fight and nobody will back up and nobody will move and it just, it's, it just got old and she um, neighbor went around him, scratched her car on a tree branch or something then to try to give us the bill and we're not allowed to back-up our vehicles whatsoever, but it's just a mess down there and yeah, it does have to come out to the road.”
Now that we’ve established that the problem originated with and is the fault of Ina Clark, the rest of the story is: She and I have been feuding for years. She is using the USPS to get at me because you have allowed her to. The issue between the USPS and her should be and should have been turned over to law enforcement officials – not taken out on me.
The second point – just from this short excerpt - is your statement that postal delivery vehicles are “…not allowed to back-up our vehicles whatsoever….” This is plainly and simply not true. On the dashboard of the delivery vehicles is the bold sign – directly in front of the driver: “Do not back up unless necessary”.
We need to put this behind us. Therefore, in the spirit of reasonableness, I am tendering the PROPOSED COMPROMISE, dated: 27 Feb 2018. USPS Transcript ltr1
Hand Delivered
Scott Compton,
Postmaster Georgetown, OH 45121
CHUCK KLEIN AGREES TO:
1) Cease requesting investigations and promoting changes to the postal regulations via newspaper accounts, the Congress, Postal Inspector, FBI, Ohio Farm Bureau, civil rights law suits, et al.;
2) Seek to have Pleasant Township to construct pull-overs on the final ¼ mile section of Hillman Ridge Road.
POSTMASTER SCOTT COMPTON AGREES TO:
1) Accept the addition of pull-overs added to the subject road as an acceptable exception to the his 2-vehicle passing rule;
2) Seek to have Pleasant Township construct pull-overs on the final ¼ mile section of Hillman Ridge Road;
3) Once pull-overs are installed accept the subject road as safe for postal delivery and notify Klein he will be allowed to move his mail box back to the end of Hillman Ridge Road where it joins Klein’s property and the USPS will resume mail delivery to that location.
The courtesy of a reply, email or snail-mail, by 2 Mar 2018, would be greatly appreciated.
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UPDATE 5 Mar 2018:
Does a local Postmaster have too much power or does he abuse his powers? Under Georgetown Postmaster Compton’s threat of having my mail marked, “Return to Sender”, I moved my mailbox rather than suffer this devastating loss.
To allow me to return my mailbox to its previous and legal location, I presented to him a letter
(see Letter to Postmaster Compton) and compromise
(See Proposed Compromise) that I believed would resolve the matter. The letter contains a revealing transcribed excerpt of a recording made by a Private Investigator I hired. The purpose of the PI’s investigation was to determine why my road was declared “unsafe,” a fact PM Compton and his superior refused to tell me. PM Compton has turned down this reasonable request.
The office of our Congressman, Brad Wenstrup, is now looking into this matter. Please keep checking back for more updates.