Red Rock couple mail delivery restored

RENO, Nev. (KOLO) - The roadway leading up to the Burson’s home is off Red Rock Road. They will admit it’s not a straight shot. But during our visit today, On-Track made a delivery with no problem.

Five months ago, Hilary Burson says U.S. Postal Service representatives, one identified as “Monica P” made an unannounced visit to their home and informed the couple after 13 years, their mail delivery would be cut off because of the dangerous driveway.

The decision left the Bursons with little alternatives.

“It was mainly his medicine from the VA and doctors’ appointment reminders,” says Hilary Burson of the most essential mail they missed. Roy Burson is a Vietnam Veteran, and a cancer survivor.

In the past five months the couple received no mail service at all. Hilary says it got so bad they had to personally visit the VA to fill Roy’s prescriptions. That errand is well over 40 miles round trip.

Their neighbor down the road was eventually able to collect the mail for the couple, despite the protests, Hilary says, from “Monica P” who said that was illegal.

The Bursons contacted a local civil rights attorney who wrote the post office citing the Americans with Disabilities Act. The post office Diane Vaillencourt wrote, “has a legal obligation to make reasonable accommodations of the needs of persons with disabilities or medical hardship,” further she said, “the postal service has guidance for requesting ‘hardship mail delivery’”.

Our story caught the attention of Nevada U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen. Hilary says she received an inquiry from a constituency services representative at the Reno Office, who gathered information and set about to right the problem.

“That man like I say he is worth my weight in gold,” says Hilary. “He got the bit in his teeth, and he took off.” “He was a nice young man,” says Roy of the senator’s representative. “He was like a terrier he wasn’t going to let it go,” says Hilary.

Then approximately two weeks ago, the couple was visited by the Postmaster, and in no time at all Hilary says their mail delivery started up again.

“They are now getting all of their mail right to their home and really most importantly those lifesaving prescriptions,” says Senator Jacky Rosen, Nevada’s junior U.S. Senator. “Now we owe them both a debt of gratitude for serving our nation. We have to live up to that. I was very proud to be able to help this family.”

A call from Senator Rosen to the Bursons could have knocked Hilary over with a feather. “She said you are one of my constituents, your husband was disabled he is a Veteran, and he deserves better treatment.”

We tried to contact the communications office with the U.S. Postal Service last May as to why the couple was cut off from mail delivery. Our inquiries went unanswered then, and it appears the same response strategy is in place today.

We contacted postmaster Jerry DaPaoli about the Burson’s mail delivery. He told us to contact a Rod Sperglin who was with communications with the post office.

But the number provided is inoperable.

For more information on Senator Rosen’s constituency services contact: rosen.senate.gov

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