Oakland resolves postbox issues

One resident has taken on the U.S. Postal Service to get answers regarding mail service in the town, and her persistence paid off.

By Amy Quesinberry Price
| 5:07 p.m. December 20, 2023

The town of Oakland’s new roundabout will feature a large acorn sculpture.

West Orange Times & Observer
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The Oakland Town Commission at its Dec. 12 meeting received an update on the mailbox issue from Donna Reed, a resident who has been diligent in getting answers regarding package deliveries and postal box rental fees. The United States Postal Service considers the matter resolved.

“I think we have the issue solved in how mail delivery will be done, how addressing will be done, and it’s being resolved by someone pretty high up in the Florida postal system,” Reed said.

About 600 residents living in historic Oakland have never had home mail delivery. As the town grew, the small post office did not have enough postal boxes and could not handle the volume of mail, so new subdivisions were assigned the Oakland 34787 ZIP code and their mail came through the Winter Garden Post Office.

Residents have long complained about having to pay a rental fee for a box at the post office when they didn’t have a choice of home versus post office delivery.

Reed has spent months speaking to USPS officials on the local, state and national level in hopes of resolving the issues.

She shared with commissioners a letter her sister, Deanna Meredith, received from the United States Postal Service Customer Support team. In part, it reads:

“The United States Postal Service has agreed to allow residents of Oakland (34760) who do not qualify for street delivery service to receive free mail delivery to Post Office Box (Group E service) at the Oakland Post Office.

“Qualified post office box holders who live in the area specific to the town of Oakland (34760) may be eligible for a refund for up to 24 months. The refund process should be requested when the box is up for renewal. However, earlier requests could be made at the customer’s discretion.

“To be eligible for the Group E box refund … customers must apply for a Group E box and close their previously rented box. If the previous box was size one, the customer can be reissued the same box based on availability. Upon accepting their refund, their current (if size 1) Post Office Box will be converted to a Group E designated PO box. If the box previously used was a size 2 or greater, the box will be closed and the customer will receive a new Group E (size 1). If a customer chooses to keep any box size 2 or greater, appropriate fees will be applied and they will still be eligible to receive a Group E (no fee) PO box. Qualified addresses are only eligible for one Group E (no fee) PO box. In short, to be eligible for a potential refund, application for Group E service must be made.

“Customers who choose to accept the free ‘Group E’ box will be able to keep their box for no fee until they decide to close their box or are no longer a resident of Oakland.”

USPS also requests envelopes and packages be addressed with the PO box or with the street address and post office box number. A customer with P.O. Box 111 would ideally address mail in this way: 1234 Apple Street #111.

“We request that every opportunity is taken to utilize the assigned Post Office box address in lieu of the street address. However, if a vendor is unable to deliver or ship to a PO box (with applicable US postage), address formatting should include the street address and PO box number.”

Reed added that new postal customers will be informed of their box options. Stark said she wants to make sure Town Hall employees are well-versed in the mailbox and refund decisions so they can help customers inquiring at Town Hall.

Reed offered to help anyone needing assistance or further explanation.

“It’s a good refund,” she said. “I think it’s between $250 and $350.”

CANAL DISCUSSION CONTINUES

Oakland resident Ed Kulakowski questioned the commission on its decision to spend $120,000 for a second round of sediment removal from Lake Apopka at the mouth of the Johns Lake Outfall Canal.

“I’m really concerned that this expenditure only benefits two residents,” he said. “It doesn’t benefit any other residents. … They could extend their docks.”

So much sand and other sediment has filtered into the lake at its southern shores that several residents who live in that area and share the lakefront are unable to use their boats because the lake has become so shallow.

The town spent $120,000 in March to have the sediment removed. Days later, more sand had returned to the area. At the Nov. 14 Town Commission meeting, elected officials voted 3-2 to spend the same amount of money to redo the work.

Town attorneys recommended the town get an engineer involved this time.

“I’m not trying to kill the project; although I’m not exactly for it, but at the very least, I want to make sure it’s buttoned up,” Stark said.

Town Manager Andy Stewart suggested an engineering firm attend one of the commission meetings in January to give commissioners the entire scope of services needed.

Kulakowski said he wants to see all Oakland residents benefit from this expenditure, not just two residents.

“I don’t think anyone guaranteed their lakefront would remain stable when they bought the property,” he said.

INCORPORATING THE ACORN

Alarie Design Associates Inc. has unveiled the new centerpiece design for the roundabout on the west end of town near West Colonial Drive at the intersection of J.W. Jones Road, Old County Road 50 and Oakland Avenue. A 6-foot-wide metal acorn — the centerpiece of the town’s logo — will be added to the 3-foot-tall circular red brick planter. Joe Alarie, president of the branding agency, said the acorn will make a statement that folks are entering Oakland.

“I think it looks great, and I think people will see it,” Mayor Kathy Stark said.

The roundabout and centerpiece were not designed for lighting, but the commission asked that lights be added to the area. The town recently received ownership of the roundabout and transportation improvements. The $2.3 million roundabout project was funded by the state of Florida with assistance from Metroplan Orlando.

The town will put the project out to bid, and funding will be provided with Transportation Impact Fee funds.

IN OTHER NEWS

• The Oakland Town Commission approved the consent agenda, which included a change to the town’s contract with KAT Construction & Materials Inc. for the construction of a new drinking water production well, water plant improvements and associated utility appurtenances. Because of increases in materials and construction, an additional allocation from the American Recovery Plan Act, not to exceed $321,000, was requested.

• The commission passed a resolution that adopts the town’s Zero Vision Policy and establishes a goal of zero traffic deaths and severe injuries on town streets by 2040.