Salem Township looks to speed up eviction of its post office, leaving customers' options in question
Salem Township filed court papers last week seeking to expedite the eviction of its contract post office from the Rider House at the township's municipal complex.
While eviction proceedings are under way and a trial is scheduled for April 4 in 14th District Court, the township fears that the trial could be delayed and is asking Washtenaw County Circuit Judge Archie Brown to issue an order permitting it to take control of the space immediately.
According to a complaint filed Wednesday by the township against Linda Hamilton, who runs the post office and has leased the space for 11 years, Hamilton has refused to pay any increases in rent.
Since she started leasing the space, she has been paying $250 a month and has a separate written contract with the U.S. Postal Service, the complaint says.
In addition, the complaint says the space is needed by the township to ease overcrowding in municipal offices in the same building, including for the township clerk, the deputy clerk, the building administrator and the elections coordinator.
Should the township prevail and if it is unable to find another location for the post office, it could lose its ZIP code, requiring residents to pick up mail in neighboring townships, Hamilton's attorney, Steven Matta, has argued in a previous filing.
Residents who are not eligible for home delivery use the post office, but would potentially have to travel to Northville, Plymouth or South Lyon for service.
It's unclear how many customers would be affected. The post office has more than 200 mailboxes, Hamilton said, and offers parcel post, priority and express mail for packages of up to 70 pounds, as well as other services.
Hamilton deferred questions about the number of customers who could be affected to Northville Postmaster Brian Smith, who could not be reached for comment Friday.
It's the latest step in a fight that began last April when the Salem Township Board voted 4-3 to evict the post office. On Aug. 19, Hamilton was served with an official notice to vacate the premises no later than Sept. 27, the complaint says, but did not.
She has been fighting the case, including claiming in court documents that the local courts have no jurisdiction because of her contract with the U.S. Postal Service. She said she's looking forward to responding to the allegations in court and questions why the township made the latest filing, given that the trial is a few weeks away.
“Everybody gets their day in court and that’s all I want,” she said. “I’m not making any delays.”
If the post office shuts down, it will have consequences, she said.
"I have people that get their mail here," she said. "People that get their Social Security checks. People that get their medicine."
The township claims in the complaint that it has a constitutional right to "control its public buildings and to govern matters of local concern," including an eviction in a portion of the township's municipal complex.
A hearing on a motion in the case seeking the order is scheduled for Thursday at 2:30 p.m. in front of Brown.
Lee Higgins is a reporter for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached by phone at (734) 623-2527 and e-mail at leehiggins@annarbor.com
Comments
Salem
Mon, Mar 14, 2011 : 4:45 p.m.
This is yet another example of why this township is a complete embarrassment. Nothing more than a bunch of good ole boys (and girls) who have been feuding for years and will never act like grownups. This example shows what happens when neptoism and cronyism go on for too long. Now the township can't get out of a ridiculous contract where Linda is allowed to pay a pittance to rent an entire building. I wish I could get a deal this good. $250 a month? What a bargain. Anybody know what is meant by "Residents who are not eligible for home delivery use the post office"? I thought everybody could hav emailed delivered to them. How are you not eligible to get mail at your house?
Epengar
Mon, Mar 14, 2011 : 7:33 p.m.
No, not everybody can necessarily have mail delivered to their home. Any resident can get their mail at their nearest post office, but in rural or unsettled areas where homes are far apart, the postal service may not deliver to every house. From their website: "Rural Delivery is established through the determination of local postal managers. A rural route should serve an average of at least one residential or business delivery per mile. In addition, roads should be public and must be well-maintained and passable year round."
lynel
Mon, Mar 14, 2011 : 5:08 p.m.
According to the article, she rents SPACE in a building, not an entire building.
Salem
Mon, Mar 14, 2011 : 4:43 p.m.
@ Vick... Your example makes no sense. The USPS is ALREADY subsidized. This is not an issue of the post office receiving a subsidy. This is a woman who is running a PRIVATE business which contracts with and does business with the postal system. It is not fair to set up a business where you are paying rent and then simply refuse to agree to the terms of a new lease once yours expires. You can't FORCE somebody to subsidize you by squatting on their land so that you can make a profit in your business. This woule be like me setting up a business in your front yard and then telling you that I was only going to pay you $20 a month.
EyeHeartA2
Mon, Mar 14, 2011 : 3:39 p.m.
"I have people that get their mail here," she said. "People that get their Social Security checks. People that get their medicine." What's your point? You need to pay market rent, just like everyone else in the world. Talk about deflection.
John of Saline
Mon, Mar 14, 2011 : 5:20 p.m.
Are you seriously arguing that the Post Office shouldn't have to pay rent like everyone else? Who else is exempt from the market in your fairyland?
linuxtuxguy
Mon, Mar 14, 2011 : 12:24 p.m.
"it could lose its ZIP code" I did not realize that could happen! I thought zip codes were fixed.