Camden Wants Money From Post Office

It's been more than six weeks since Fox 29 Investigates reported how the postal service in Camden allegedly delayed the delivery of thousands of pieces of first class mail in order to save money on overtime.

Now we've learned the city will send a letter to the postal service seeking at least some of the taxpayer's $20,000 back.

The council is making its decision based in part on our first report and on stunning new information we briefed the council president on yesterday.

Caitlyn Reuter is a former mail carrier. She says she was stunned after learning the city of Camden spent $20,000 to send 3,000 letters by first class, certified mail.

"I was shocked. I couldn't believe it, I really couldn't."

But what surprised Reuter even more, was learning that the postal service may have delayed the mail in order to save money.

The letters were to alert residents to major changes in an East Camden neighborhood. Residents should have gotten the mail within a day or two.

But our Fox 29 investigation showed that most of the mail took three or more days to get out the door and into customer's hands.

"They were like we got to send you to Camden, we have these certifieds and we need them done today,” she said.

Now, Reuter, who was laid off two weeks ago, is revealing startling new information that may shed light on why so many Camden residents received the city's official mailing late or not at all.

"I looked at what she had in the truck and I was like 'oh my gosh.' I was overwhelmed."

Reuter says several days after the postal service received the letters, she and three other temps were asked to help get the mail out. Reuter says after working for about an hour of overtime, it was clear that they wouldn't be able to deliver all the mail before six o'clock. Reuter says she alerted a supervisor.

Reuter says the supervisor told her to sit in the back of a postal truck and scan the mail.

Frank Moran is president of the Camden city council. He's led the charge to investigate the postal service which will result in a "demand letter" being sent later this week.

Moran says Reuter's allegations may help the city get some or all of its money back.

"That's given us some hope, some kind of credibility at this point that there is something going on with the united states postal service and we're going to demand our money,” Moran said.

A spokesperson for the Postal Service told Fox 29 they have yet to hear from Camden officials regarding the investigation.

The spokesperson added that a representative from the district did speak with a Camden deputy clerk about six weeks ago on how to better improve service and communication.