It appears that the City Hall of Covington Township, PA (pop. 1,994) has been inundated with lots and lots of junk mail.
Of course, your home and mine has also been inundated with lots and lots of junk mail, but anecdotal evidence suggests that someone may be deliberately signing up Covington Township for everything from Antique Power Magazine to free samples of eye cream in an effort to lodge some sort of protest. Or, perhaps, in an effort to inform them about antique power or eye cream. The majority of it, officials say, is health-related. Hmmm…. Excuse me for a moment while I arch my eyebrows and thoughtfully stroke my chin.
City officials also feel that it’s laborious to dispose of, annoying, and a threat to the security of their identities:
Since November, she’s logged in nearly 500 pieces of unsolicited mail. Before then, the junk mail was discarded.
“There’s a lot of work involved in this,” Mr. Yerke said.
“Work that could be used for other things in the township,” added Supervisor Marlene Beavers.
U.S. Postal Inspector Lawrence Dukes said the case would likely be referred to the local postal inspector, and then to the proper law enforcement officials if necessary. It’s unclear at this point whether or not an actual crime is involved.
“It is a nuisance, if nothing else,” Mr. Dukes said.
In addition to costing taxpayers money to correct the mail and interfering with taxpayer business, supervisors worry about what personal information of theirs is out in the public realm.
Mr. Yerke said he’s received calls requesting his Social Security number and birthdate and referencing a trip to Puerto Rico he didn’t book.
Ms. Beavers said she’s been receiving personal calls about her mortgage and credit card — and she has neither. “I feel really violated,” she said.
Sounds to me like Convington Township needs a Do Not Mail Registry.
no more killing trees for worthless junk mail!
Be ready to pay $5 – $10 per stamp when business mail is outlawed.