Message delivered

Tensions and emotion in Encampment quickly escalated Sept. 26 after United States Postal Service representatives said they wanted to give the postmaster a chance to improve service.

“I really want to give Wendell an opportunity if at all possible,” said USPS District Manager of Colorado and Wyoming Selwyn Epperson.

Epperson met with Encampment residents Sept. 26 at Encampment Town Hall, along with other USPS representatives, including Acting Manager of Postal Operations in Wyoming Curt Artery, Marketing Manager Catherine Wright and Communication Programs Specialist David Rupert.

Epperson said the transition of postmasters in Encampment was not smooth, and that USPS reacted to the situation too slowly after several Encampment and Riverside residents complained about the service of Wendell O’Connell, Encampment’s postmaster for the past several months.

“We reacted a little bit too slow for some of the things that are going on down here in Encampment,” Epperson said.

Eppersons main message in the meeting was he wanted to work with the community to improve services at the Encampment Post Office.

“I want to solve these issues, but it is going to take us both to solve the issues,” he said in the meeting.

The consensus among Encampment and Riverside residents who attended the meeting was O’Connell’s attitude could not be fixed.

Sharon Anderson, a former employee of the Encampment Post Office, said she didn’t think O’Connell could learn the job. Anderson said she worked with O’Connell for about six weeks before she resigned in August for medical reasons.

“I trained him for six weeks every day. I would stay here until 6 o’clock at night trying to work with him. I would turn around, and instead of working on the books, he would be off doing something else. It was impossible.”

Anderson said she first thought O’Connell may be able to learn the job from another postmaster.

“I don’t think he is capable of learning how to do this stuff. Maybe he has to learn it the hard way,” Anderson said.

Encampment and Riverside residents, who depend on the post office, asked for O’Connell’s dismissal or transfer in the Sept. 26 meeting, and a meeting held Sept. 18, which was led by Artery.

Epperson has the authority to make personnel decisions, but said that USPS does not not make those decisions based on popularity or politics. Epperson also wrote a letter to the editor published in Carbon County newspapers, which reinforced his stance.

“We have a fair and due process and we can’t and won’t make personnel decisions based on politics or popularity,” Epperson stated in his letter.

House District 47 Representative Jerry Paxton came to the Sept. 26 meeting with a written reply to Epperson’s letter.

“When we met last week, I did not hear anyone mention politics or popularity. What I did hear was many passionate people talking about the lack of customer service,” Paxton said.

Paxton went on to mention general complaints against O’Connell that residents voiced in the Sept. 18 meeting.

“The stories of rudeness, incompetence and arrogance go on and on, but never did I hear one person mention politics or popularity,” Paxton said.

Paxton also said, reading from his letter, that O’Connell lost the trust of the Encampment people.

Residents then began sharing their stories with Epperson, and their encounters with O’Connell.

Candy Moulton, executive director of Western Writers of America, said the mail for the organization unexpectedly stopped in July without notice.

“My Western Writers of America mail was suddenly being returned, and the only reason I even found out about that is my rural carrier left a (small) hand-written note in my box saying ‘I just want you to know that the new postmaster is sending all of your mail back,’” Moulton said.

Anderson said O’Connell also treated her poorly when they worked together. Anderson said, when she was diagnosed with cancer, O’Connell told her she deserved it because of her lifestyle.

“I don’t think he was being vicious. That’s just how Wendell can be with people, and it is very rude,” Anderson said.

After listening to some testimony, Epperson said those actions were unacceptable.

“I feel bad about the testimony of the actions you have had with Wendell,” Epperson said. “I have to agree with all of you that’s not right. That’s not how you service a community. That’s not how we service our customers in the postal service.”

However, Epperson maintained that USPS does not fire or transfer an employee without just cause.

Epperson said USPS has an investigative process for dealing with personnel issues. He said a “fact-finding person” is sent to location to gather information and conduct interviews. Epperson said that process would probably begin at the Encampment Post Office.

Near the end of the meeting, Anderson said she may want to return to the post office to help improve service. Epperson said there was an opening, and that it would be a great opportunity to “bridge the gap”, work together and improve service at the Encampment Post Office.

Epperson told Anderson to call him directly with any issues.

As Rupert tried to close the meeting, more comments filtered in. Rupert allowed some discussion, but told residents who did not have an opportunity to speak, that they could mail their comments directly to an address which will be displayed at the Encampment Post Office.

Paxton held a manila envelope in the air, and which contained written complaints from the Sept. 18 meeting. Paxton said he wanted to hand them directly to Epperson, since he was the decision maker.

Epperson did not confirm O’Connell’s dismissal in the meeting. Encampment Mayor Greg Salisbury said he wants to wait to see what happens, but chose not to speculate what the town of Encampment’s next move might be if O’Connell is not fired or transferred.