Traverse City Record-Eagle

Grand Traverse County

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January 28, 2009

Road commission won't replace mailboxes

No compensation for boxes leveled by plow trucks

By BRIAN McGILLIVARY

TRAVERSE CITY -- Jerry Swainston lost his mailbox to a snowplow in November and patiently waited for the Grand Traverse County Road Commission to replace it.

But Swainston, of Blair Township, can give up his vigil. He's among more than 100 county residents who won't be compensated for mailboxes lost to plow trucks.

The road commission on Jan. 21 changed policy and no longer will replace mailboxes hit by their vehicles. The commission doesn't have the money to continue the fixes, officials said.

Swainston isn't amused.

"How do I feel about it? You really don't want me to say that," Swainston said. "Of course it's not fair."

The road commission estimates it costs about $100 in labor and materials to replace a downed mailbox. It has fixed 47 thus far this plow season, but a backlog of 103 more looms.

"We don't have funding to do it," said road commission Manager Mary Gillis. "We can't spare the money, especially with the hard winter we've had."

The road commission historically replaced boxes hit by plows, though not those toppled by snow pushed up by plows.

Gillis acknowledged it's sometimes difficult to determine the cause of fallen mailboxes. Fewer problems typically result when the face of the mailbox is a foot from the edge of the shoulder, she said.

Gillis polled neighboring counties and discovered that all either follow Grand Traverse's old policy of replacing boxes hit by plows or providing a free mailbox and post to plow victims.

Those who've lost a mailbox to a plow may be able to obtain a box and post from the road commission, but they're on their own with installation.

A free mailbox won't help Swainston, 65, who's had multiple-bypass heart surgery. He can't install a mailbox himself and said he has no one to do it for him. He's rented a post office box since November.

"I know plow drivers have a hard job with the plow throwing snow up and it's difficult to judge where the road is, but it would be nice to have a mailbox out here," he said.

The frustration is understandable, but the commission doesn't have enough personnel to replace mailboxes, Gillis said. Plow drivers occasionally take on the chore when there's a break in the snow, but such open dates have been few this year.

"Without a doubt I empathize with people; I'm on my third mailbox right now and I'm still trying to find one that will survive the winter," she said. "I tried digging a hole in the bank and putting my mailbox there and it ended up in my neighbors' driveway.

"I'm thinking about a post office box," she said.

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