WHEREAS, the Oak Tree community in Jackson Township is a senior residential community consisting of residents who rely upon accessible and dependable delivery of United States Postal Service mail directly to their residences; and
WHEREAS, many Oak Tree residents are elderly, have mobility limitations, utilize walkers or other mobility assistance devices, are homebound, or otherwise face significant challenges traveling extended distances to retrieve their mail; and
WHEREAS, the proposed replacement of door-to-door mail delivery with centralized cluster mailboxes would require many residents to leave their homes and travel to a centralized location in order to retrieve their daily mail; and
WHEREAS, for elderly, mobility-impaired, and homebound residents, such a requirement may present significant concerns relating to safety, accessibility, inclement weather, physical limitations, and independence; and
WHEREAS, many residents purchased their homes with the reasonable expectation that their mail would continue to be delivered directly to their residences, and changing that service would materially affect the manner in which they access an essential daily service; and
WHEREAS, the Township Council recognizes that the United States Postal Service must consider operational and logistical matters in providing mail service, but believes such considerations should not be evaluated without fully considering the unique needs and circumstances of the senior residents who would be directly affected by this proposed change; and
WHEREAS, the Township Council believes that senior citizens who have built their homes and communities in Jackson Township should not be placed in a position where they must compromise their safety or independence simply to retrieve their daily mail; and
WHEREAS, centralized cluster mailboxes may be appropriate in certain residential settings; however, the Township Council believes that senior communities with substantial populations of elderly, mobility-impaired, and homebound residents warrant heightened consideration before any existing door-to-door delivery service is discontinued or substantially altered; and
WHEREAS, Mayor Jennifer Kuhn has received substantial constituent concern regarding the proposed change at Oak Tree, including 190 signed petitions from Oak Tree residents requesting that door-to-door mail delivery be maintained; and
WHEREAS, Mayor Jennifer Kuhn has joined with Congressman Chris Smith and Assemblyman Alex Sawicki in advocating on behalf of Oak Tree residents and requesting that the United States Postal Service reconsider the proposed installation of cluster mailboxes; and