'Something's Gotta Be Done': New USPS Audit Details Mail Issues, Renews Calls For New Leadership
DUNDALK, Md. (WJZ) -- Mail delays across Baltimore detailed in a new audit renews the calls for new leadership at the postal service.
"We shop here. We live here. We notice these things," said Brian Butler.
Outside the Dundalk post office, they don't need a government audit to tell them what they already know.
"It's been terrible. The mail's been absolutely terrible," said Darryl Welsh.
And the Postal Service Inspector General report validated their frustrations Tuesday.
"This has been going on probably since June of last year," Butler said.
Findings of mail delays, inaccurate reporting of those delays and improper scanning.
"Oh my God. I've been waiting for this piece of mail for two weeks. I have yet to receive it," said Tashawna Fennell.
The Baltimore region has the second most missing mail inquiries in the country.
"With more than three times the national average. Think we had a problem here?" Said Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger.
Maryland representatives were among those requesting the OIG report. Inspectors found a variety of specific problems across multiple post offices in June.
At Clifton East, letters, postmarked in March were undelivered. They also found mail sitting in the Essex branch for more than four weeks that hadn't even been sorted and a letter postmarked in December was still at the Dundalk location, six months later.
"Something's gotta be done. It's insane to keep doing this and expecting better results," said Welsh.
The new Maryland district manager agrees with the OIG's seven recommendations to improve service.
"We've been calling for Dejoy's resignation for a long time," said Sen. Chris Van Hollen.
But, Maryland Democrats want to see the Postmaster General go.
"You can't blame the mail carriers or the people inside of post offices. This problem started with Mr. Dejoy really got behind the wheel," said Congressman Kweisi Mfume.
Congressman Mfume wrote President Biden Tuesday asking for him to remove the chair of the USPS Board of Governors. He says he'll talk to the president about it in person tomorrow when he visits the port.
