The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
Package pickup and COVID don’t mix
[ By Mark Reaman ]
The annual holiday cluster at the Crested Butte Post Office does not appear to have gotten any better from last December with packages piling up and long lines forming all day with people holding yellow slips…and there is a pandemic adding to the mix this year. The Crested Butte town council expressed concerns about the situation at the December 21 meeting and a letter was sent to the local postmaster asking for some mitigation given the coronavirus situation.
“I spent an hour in line and it was inside,” said councilperson Mallika Magner. “Given the COVID situation, that doesn’t make any sense and is dangerous. I know we don’t have authority over the post office, but at the very least, the line should be outside.”
She also suggested that the post office allow the first half hour of business be set aside for older people and people considered “at risk” with the virus.
Town manager Dara MacDonald said it would be beneficial for the lobby to have an air purifier as well. She said town could help facilitate obtaining a couple of air filtration systems.
A letter was sent to the post office officials on Tuesday. “The Town Council is disturbed to see the long lines forming indoors in close quarters during these cold winter days as citizens attempt to pick up or mail parcels or simply check their boxes. Town Council and I are greatly concerned with the potential spread of COVID-19 under these conditions,” the letter from mayor Jim Schmidt states. “We appreciate how hard you and your staff are working during this busy time of year. By taking these simple steps, we hope that you will join the Town and Gunnison County in doing all we can to keep postal employees and patrons safe during this pandemic. The winter is just getting started and we have months ahead with high risk of exposure in indoor spaces.”
The letter spelled out the suggestions made at the council meeting. As of Wednesday, the town had not received a reply. Local postal officials have told the Crested Butte News several times this month that they cannot comment to the media on any topic.
“The Post Office is a petri dish and these suggestions are pretty simple,” said Magner. “It isn’t that hard to take these steps.”
