Martinez residents take complaints about postal service to city council

MARTINEZ, Calif. (KTVU) - Complaints about poor U.S. Postal service in Martinez has gotten the attention of two congressmen. They held a special town hall meeting in the city council chambers on Wednesday night. 

The postmaster for Martinez attended the meeting to take questions and she got an earful.
Residents say they're frustrated after years of bad service and they're now demanding changes be made immediately.

"Every now and then, I don't get something. I don't know what I'm not getting because I didn't get it," said Cathy Ivers, a Martinez resident. 
　
More than fifty people attended the meeting held by two congressman, Democrats Mark DeSaulnier and Mike Thompson. 
　
"We have an ongoing relationship with the constituents and an ongoing relationship with the postal service so we're going to try to mitigate this," said Congressman Thompson, 
　
Residents complained about problems they've been having with the postal service.
　
"We had some Amazon packages that didn't get delivered and same thing with our neighbors, but they were put into the system as having been delivered," said Wilma Murray, a resident. 
　
They say problems range from missing mail to poor service at the post office.
　
"Over the last two or three years or more, there has been a significant decline in the level of available personnel," said Kathleen Clancy. 
　
"We've had neighborhoods who didn't get mail for a whole week at a time," said Noralea Gipner, Martinez city council member. 
　
She says she and her husband have also encountered problems with the mail service. 

"He actually brought our bills to the post office, put them in the mailbox to get delivered out. But they never got to where they're supposed to go, not for a whole month," said Gipner. 
　
Residents demanded answers from Jeanette Davis, the postmaster of Martinez. She tells KTVU there is a shortage of staff and that attracting and retaining new workers is a challenge with the low unemployment rate. Davis says she's been on the job for 15 years and that she's constantly working to make improvements. 
　
"I'll be talking to my staff, to the carriers and the clerks, sharing the information and letting them know that we've all got to work together to actually improve the operation," said Davis. . 

But some are demanding a leadership change. 
　
"If I was your boss, you would be fired," said Felix Sanchez, a resident. 
　
Congressman DeSaulnier says he plans to work with local postal officials and in Washington D.C. 
　
"It's getting their attention, staying on it. Letting good managers manage is really the key," said DeSaulnier.
　
He says other cities in the Bay Area and across the country have experienced similar problems with the postal service and they've been resolved.

DeSaulnier says he's confident that the same can be done for Martinez...and soon.