STURGEON BAY, Wis. — Newspaper editors are used to writing the headlines, not being a part of them. However, in November, Debra Fitzgerald started getting phone calls that readers weren’t getting copies of the Peninsula Pulse. Fitzgerald runs the Bailey’s Harbor-based newspaper, which is distributed via the United States Postal Service to readers across Door County. 

What You Need To Know

  • Residents in Sturgeon Bay are concerned about slow mail delivery

  • Staff shortages likely play a factor

  • Rep. Gallagher and State Rep. Kitchens are sending a letter to U.S. Postmaster Louis DeJoy, asking for solutions

She began hearing from readers in Sturgeon Bay that the paper wasn’t arriving. 

“Customers don’t really know why they aren’t receiving it, so they call us first,” said Fitzgerald. “So we have received really an outpouring of emails and calls and texts and things from our subscribers.” 

It is just one example of the mail delivery issues Rep. Mike Gallagher and State Rep. Joel Kitchens said they are looking to get to the bottom of. 

Friday, the two representatives held a press conference to address what they consider significant mail delivery delays in Sturgeon Bay. They said they have heard from constituents concerned about how long it has been taking to get their mail. Rep. Kitchens said in some cases, residents have reported not getting mail for a week. 

“When a veteran calls my office and says they are worried they won’t receive their prescriptions on time, because of inconsistent mail service, that is not just highly concerning, it is completely unacceptable and something that shouldn’t happen,” said Gallagher. 

Gallagher and Kitchens said not being able to get clear answers about the cause or plan to resolve the issue has added to the frustration. They said they have reached out to the USPS to ask about the issue, but have only received what Gallagher called “generic responses” that did not address their concerns directly. 

Now, Gallagher and Kitchens said they are writing a letter to U.S. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy to request a meeting and to learn how the USPS plans to address the issues. 

“A letter may not seem like a lot. I would rather just resolve this without anything formal, but we are prepared to keep asking in louder and more intense ways until we get a sense of how this issue is going to be fixed,” said Gallagher. 

Both representatives pointed out that they don’t blame local postal employees for the mail delays, saying they believe staffing shortages are playing a big role in the delays. 

Now, people who rely on the postal system for their business, such as Fitzgerald, said they hope it will bring attention to the issue. 

“You can’t have a congressional leader sending a letter to the Postmaster General without it at least drawing some attention,” Fitzgerald said. 

Spectrum News 1 reached out to the United States Postal Service for comment on the mail delays. They provided a statement reading, in part: 

“The Postal Service is committed to providing the best possible service to our customers and we apologize for any inconvenience that may have been experienced. Local management and district leadership are aware of delivery issues in Sturgeon Bay and taking steps to address the concerns. We are flexing our resources including using overtime and bringing in additional employees from other facilities. We appreciate the patience of our customers and are proud of the efforts of postal employees as they define essential public service every day.”