By Kathianne Boniello
Joyce Shepard of Bay Terrace, a community activist and City Council candidate, said she has become so frustrated by long lines at the Bay Terrace postal station in recent weeks that she decided to take action.
Shepard has decided to launch the 113 ZIP Code/Postal Task Force to deal with post office issues from communities within ZIP codes that begin with the numbers 113, which includes: Little Neck, Douglaston, Bayside, Whitestone, Bay Terrace, Oakland Gardens, Jackson Heights, Woodside and Maspeth.
“We're going to straighten it out,” she said of long lines at local post offices.
Since she started the group about two weeks ago, Shepard said she has received more than a dozen calls from residents across the borough voicing complaints about their local post offices.
The group was slated to hold its first meeting Nov. 28. Flushing Postmaster William Rogers, who oversees communities with 113 ZIP codes, was expected to attend. Rogers did not return calls about the task force as of presstime Tuesday.
Shepard said the group had no complaints about postal service to local homes, but “it seems when they see a line form on the inside, they take a break.”
The group will push for a postal hotline to handle complaints about postal service, she said, and would act as a liaison between the community and Roger's office.
Shepard said she would eventually like to expand the group beyond 113 ZIP codes.
“This is a citywide problem, not just Queens,” she said.
Shepard also encouraged community leaders from throughout the city who might face similar problem to call or start their own task force.
To contact the 113 ZIP Code/Postal Task aForce, call 718-279-2069.
