WASHINGTON D.C.- As Montana grows, growing pains are fast to emerge, one of the most prevalent, mail delivery.
Both members of Montana’s senate delegation have been in the weeds on this conversation working to improve delivery and access.
In addition to mail being delivered late or even in some cases once a week, there’s fear that certain places could lose post offices altogether.
The Big Sky community was notified that the current privately owned facility is set to cancel its contract with the U.S. Postal Service.
A solution is in the works, for a fully federally-run postal office. The owners of the Big Sky post office say they don’t have a choice, it’s has to do with a 20-year-old contract, riddled with out-of-date provisions.
“Having lived in rural Montana my entire life, I know firsthand that folks rely on the postal service to get life-saving medications, receive their paychecks, and pay their bills,” Senator Jon Tester said.
In addition to those problems in Big Sky, many in the Bozeman metropolitan area are not receiving their mail on time.
“I spoke directly to the Postmaster Louis DeJoy this week, and it was a very direct conversation about the fumbling that’s going on right now in terms of meeting the delivery standards,” Senator Steve Daines said, “But the reason, we have so many open head counts, they need more resources.”
Senator Tester and Daines say they are imploring the postmaster to find a solution, and that starts with cash.