Ketchum's postal woes continue, this time with Amazon packages piling up

The Ketchum Post Office is once again a topic of controversy among community leaders and members of the public, as an alleged change in service between UPS and Amazon has led to a massive backlog of packages at the post office, according to City Administrator Jade Riley—though UPS denies that anything has changed.

"I had a conversation with the postmaster today, and there has been a recent change in which Amazon is no longer using UPS as a vendor for home delivery, so what we have seen is a spike in UPS dropping off packages at the post office," Riley told the City Council on Monday.

Riley said that prior to this recent increase in shipments, the post office would use the person's address to look up their P.O. box number and then place the package in their box. But now, due to the large number packages and the fact the post office isn't required to do that, the post office has adopted a new policy of returning anything not marked for a P.O. box to the sender.

UPS West Region Network Communications Manager Matthew Skeen said that there hasn't been any change in UPS and Amazon services, and that he is unsure of what could be causing the problem.

"I have no idea where that is coming from," Skeen said. "UPS and Amazon still work together."

Amazon did not return a request for comment in time for publication. Ketchum Postmaster John McDonald declined to comment.

Though there is confusion about the cause of the problem, there is no doubt its effects are tangible and wide-reaching. Businesses and individuals have been affected by the issue.

Alvaro Martinez is a Ketchum resident who was waiting on a cell phone charger and a few personal items—not critical products, but important things all the same.

"I received a notification from Amazon that my package was here, and I came the same day. It was already sent back," he said. "I don't know why they’ve decided to do that."

"I have no idea where that is coming from. UPS and Amazon still work together."

Matthew Skeen

UPS Spokesman

City Councilwoman Amanda Breen on Monday told a couple of stories she has heard from businesses that have been affected by the problem.

"I talked to a small-business supplier who had packages returned, as well as a local business who didn't receive inventory that they had to sell," she said. "I don't get why there is this sudden, throw-up-our-hands, ‘We’ve done this for years, but now we’re not" attitude, she said.

In the meantime, the city and post office are advising this: People should have any packages addressed to them in Ketchum either marked for the address of the post office (151 Fourth St. W.) or their P.O. box. Using both the post office's physical address and a P.O. box will also work, they advised. Packages addressed otherwise will likely be sent back.

Breen said the addressing protocol is a temporary fix, and doesn't address the larger issue.

"And again, we’re being told that everyone else in the country has to learn how we do things here," she said.

The comment drew nods from other council members. For years, some residents have complained about issues stemming from the fact that the Ketchum and Sun Valley post offices don't provide home delivery.

Councilman Jim Slanetz said he was unaware you could mark a package for both a physical address and a P.O. box. Councilman Michael David said that that could present problems for people whose physical address and P.O. box are in different cities.

Breen said she has tried to address packages to the post office before, and that the address was not accepted by the website as a valid shipping address. Councilwoman Courtney Hamilton seconded that, and said that she has had to use her grandparents’ house in Hailey for shipping in the past.

"Mail in this town doesn't work, and we have to fix it."

Courtney Hamilton

Ketchum councilwoman

"Mail in this town doesn't work, and we have to fix it," she said. "The fact that you cannot order something online and have it successfully delivered is not right. This is a modern society. It's unbelievable to me it's this hard."

Hamilton said the city needs to start working to reach "higher-ups" in the Postal Service, because local appeals have not been fruitful. Riley said the city expects to hear back from the Postal Service in the next six months on its formal appeal to end P.O. box fees in Ketchum.

In September, the Express reported on P.O. box fees and the lack of home delivery in Ketchum, both oddities for large communities but commonplace for Western resort towns, according to McDonald. The city penned a letter to Congressman Mike Simpson, R-Idaho, on the issue, as well as reaching out to other local municipalities that have the same issue. City Council members noted McCall as another Idaho community struggling with the issue. Mayor Neil Bradshaw said that the matter will be discussed at an Idaho Resort Cities Coalition meeting on Friday.

In the meantime, the city will focus on education, according to Breen.

"I think maybe some education to the community—people should know that we are working on these problems—but also here is [our] advice," she said, referencing the directions to place the post office address and P.O. box on incoming packages.

Breen also said she wants to look into the feasibility of acquiring Amazon storage lockers for Ketchum. The lockers are standalone, package-sized units that Amazon customers can use to have items shipped to them without worrying about the post office serving as an intermediary.

Slanetz, who was a Ketchum retailer for many years and now operates the Kasino Klub in Stanley, offered another solution: "Buy local."

"I sympathize a little bit with the post office, because it used to be that if you ordered from a private carrier, [the package] would always be at your front door," David said. "It seems like over the years, those private carriers decided that they’re just going to dump stuff at the post office." 

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Feb 14 2023. Beyond frustrating. I had a package sent for a second time; both with my post office box on a separate line. By itself. Went by the post office the day the second one was scanned and was told that even though it was physically at the post office, they would not give it to me. I overhead an employee say that "We've trained them badly for years and now we have to send everything back to retrain them". What an absurdly inefficient way to manage a business and a huge waste of resources. This same package will now go back and forth three times (and, just for the record), it was not something I could be in the valley and it was time sensitive. Don't tell me that the Ketchum post office needs more resources when they are wasting their time "retraining us". Like we have control of how the thousands of different businesses in the world address their packages . . . when we have an archaic system of trying to get mail delivered (especially if you live in one part of the county and have a post office box in another because that is where my business is located). Just for the record, not a newcomer complaining. I've been a full time resident with the same post office boxes for close to 40 years.

John McDonald is ill fit for the job. Time for him to retire and someone step in who will get us home deliveries, the logical step forward.

Buy local???

Oh, if only! Want to buy a pair of boxer shorts? Socks? Forget it. A two thousand dollar Bogner parka? A three thousand dollar etching for your trophy second home? Step right up, plenty to choose from.

Gimme a break, see ya in Twin.

Yet another example of the City Council being reactive, not proactive. I love Slanetz' comment that we ought to buy "local." That's his suggestion for this mess. Hey, does the City Council understand that parking in Ketchum has become a nightmare? Or that too many merchants have limited capital and therefore inventory? Why is it that we hear of the issue once it blows up? The PO has been marginal for years, now this. Maybe Bariteau can fix it as he seems to get what he wants!

Going to a Council meeting is a lot like going to a high school student government meeting. There are a lot of "performative" statements, and almost no analysis. When they do spend our money for analysis, they often just scrap it when the answer doesn't conform to their narrative. That's the situation with parking. They are increasing density and reducing parking spots. The next step is to take away parking on Main Street. At some point it will become untenable. But by then, this crew will be out of office and it will be up to more responsible people to clean up their mess.

How about "canceling "

Your Prime !

Ups is not dropping packages off, Amazon is literally using usps now. Labels from their warehouses are from usps not ups. Ultimately the post office should have had a warning interim week before just mass returning without warning.

This is pretty much par for the course in Ketchum. The Council does a terrific job providing subsidies to the tourism industry, especially out of state developers (Marriott, KETCH, Bluebird), but they do little to represent the interests of the people who actually live here. Although they did spend 1h20m of the last Council meeting deciding to leave the pickle ball courts as they are. This manifests itself in multiple ways. They have been talking that they need to do something about the PO for a long time. This meeting was deja vu. At least City Administrator Riley sent in an appeal on our behalf. But that is 6mo away. You will find many examples of this--for example, ITD no longer wants to do the round about at Serenade. A lot of huffing and puffing in City Hall, but no real action. And look how they just laid down when all the long term rentals went to AirBNB, despite being statutorally able to limit STRs to "preserve neighborhood integrity." And now they are going to promote ADUs without limiting them to long-term rentals. Even more AirBNBs coming your way in Ketchum!

I am presuming that you will run for Mayor and clean up this mess? Although with the three new hotels and Bluebird essentially done, the damage cannot be reversed. Ketchum has morphed over into the latest Aspen!

Not me. Someone sense turn to take that shot. I only ran because I thought the incumbent was going to run unopposed and I underestimated Spencer's ability to get votes. So I feel a lot of guilt about how the mayor was returns into office with only 35% of the vote. Ketchum still isn't Aspen, but this crew has sure narrowed the gap dramatically.

There is no confusion. The Post office have become inefficient. They need to be replaced with people or persons who can run a corporation like from FedEx or Amazon. Its logistics people.

Louis DeJoy is the U.S. postmaster general. He was selected by Trump, and appointed in May 2020 by the Board of Governors of the United States Postal Service (USPS). Prior to the appointment, he was the founder and CEO of the logistics and freight company New Breed Logistics. He has deliberately sabotaged the USPS efficiencies to curb public sentiment towards privatization.

As someone who worked in the freight industry and consulted to USPS, I am afraid you are 100% right on this one. Ben Franklin would be rolling over in his grave.

HPB, just what type of consulting did you perform for USPS? You would be in a position to understand this issue due to that relationship, but yet again, you bloviate in the wind.

I was also curious about what is happening with package delivery here, so I did a little research that may clarify some of the misconceptions in these comments.

UPS and USPS announced a partnership in Dec 2012 that included designating USPS as the "Last Mile" delivery partner for UPS, among other significant "green" advancements.

"UPS SurePost® is an economy service for your non-urgent, business to consumer needs of low value. UPS makes the shipment pick-up, and the U.S. Postal Service® (USPS®) makes the final delivery…." The final delivery in the Valley is the local PO.

The folks at Sun Valley's post office handle the package load with a smile. Lines are longer during peak times, but customers are very supportive of the local operation, which I understand is an NGO.

Are Hailey and Ketchum experiencing labor shortages? Are they unable to anticipate SurePost incomings?

Every package that makes it to the PO destination has a scannable SurePost mailing label, and the related data trail shows every scan along the way. Are Hailey and Ketchum using the planning tools available to them?

When Hailey Post Office was really snarled up a month or two ago, I requested coverage from the IME and they apparently declined.

I wonder that you are surprised by that. They only report without questioning and print advertorial. They don't do journalism.

Do you have POTSD (Post Office Traumatic Stress Disorder)? Should we see if a Ketchum delivery service is possible. Want to sign a change.org and start a dialog? https://chng.it/gm2d24ZTww

Who's working for who here? A lot of strain could be lifted off all post offices if Amazon delivered their own packages. They do nearly everywhere else.

Similar UPS/USPS handoff snafu's are happening in Hailey as well. I imagine some pencil-neck in an office decided to change a policy based on a spreadsheet, and that change is overwhelming the understaffed post offices. Situations like this are where the public needs and deserves honest explanations and solutions from administrators. Postmaster John McDonald was given the opportunity to address and inform the public via this newspaper and declined? No Bueno! Time for him to resign and retire. I’m sure he’ll enjoy his retirement shooting animals for sport in developing nations.

Thank you Jade Riley for trying to inform the public and customers of the USPS of this situation. You displayed leadership while Bwana the Great White Hunter chose to cower in the shadows.

Why in this day and age, with Climate Change upon us, would postal service be set up for everyone to drive a polluting car or truck to the post office (or an Amazon locker)? This is not the 1960's, when Ketchum and Sun Valley were under 1,000 population. If the some citizens in Ketchum and Sun Valley don't care about the environment, they at least care about traffic. Why create so much traffic by forcing people to drive to pick up packages and mail? Delivery of goods, including prescription drugs purchased online is today's reality. We obviously need to update our approach to mail and package delivery to coexist with this reality. "This is how we do things here" is not an answer. If Amazon venders are choosing USPS to the point the mail system is overwhelmed, then raise the price to ship USPS. That'll raise the price of online sales, which can only help local businesses. Some USPS post offices are getting electric mail delivery trucks - that can deliver mail and packages without everyone in town having to drive to the post office or Amazon locker. The electric mail trucks cost nothing to operate and maintain compared to gas or diesel vehicles, with no pollution. Anyone that has owned an electric vehicle quickly finds how cheap they are to own in the long run. Can't hire the workers you say? Well, the market is telling us that USPS is charging too little compared to UPS and FedEx. It's what the capitalists call a "market adjustment".

Plants love carbon, materials used in electric car batteries are finite and mined with slave labor but you probably don't care about that , being woke is a mental disorder.

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