December 12, 2023 - Mono County officials report that last week, the Mono County Board of Supervisors sent a second letter to Roman Martinez IV, Chairman of the Board of Governors, United States Postal Service (USPS), calling for immediate action related to unsafe working conditions and lack of services at the Bridgeport Post Office. The Board’s first correspondence, sent September 5, 2023, remains unanswered.

“There is a need for immediate action as winter approaches and temperatures in Bridgeport at times drop to -20 degrees Fahrenheit during daytime hours,” said Supervisor Rhonda Duggan, Chair of the Mono County Board of Supervisors. “The utter disregard and lack of attention to addressing the unsafe working conditions and lack of adequate USPS facilities and services in Bridgeport is inconceivable, and we demand immediate support.”

Early Monday morning, the County received word that the Bridgeport Post Office has been closed altogether, leaving residents and the County with no access to mail services.  There was no information on the closure itself, nor the length of the interruption in service.  This closure impacts the County’s ability to adequately serve residents, affecting county revenues, elections, and many other critical County needs, all during the busy holiday season.

Mono County, including the county seat of Bridgeport, was hit by severe snowstorms during the early months of 2023, resulting in local, state, and federal disaster declarations.  The Bridgeport Post Office was shut down due to structural damage and broken pipes.  During this period, the two Bridgeport Post Office employees were forced to work outside of the building in temperatures as low as -20 degrees Fahrenheit.  This situation remains unchanged today, and USPS employees will be forced to work in sub-zero temperatures with no running water or functioning restrooms as winter 2024 sets in.

Mono County has presented several options to address these abhorrent conditions, each one denied by USPS.

Need for Immediate Action Regarding Bridgeport Post Office from Justin Caporusso on Vimeo.

A video depicting the issues can be accessed here.  The Mono County Board of Supervisors letter can be accessed here.

Source: Mono County