I regret that I feel it has become necessary to alert Brown County citizens that use the U.S. Postal Service to communicate with the various departments within the Brown County Courthouse of an emerging problem. The regularly assigned carrier, who does an excellent job, was recently off and replaced by a part-time carrier who opted to return all letters that did not designate a “Suite number” in the address. The regular carrier has delivered the mail to each department within the courthouse on a daily basis with no problem, but his replacement (who claims he is acting under orders from his supervisor) opted to return all mail not having a designated suite. The mail being returned bears the correct address for the courthouse and the name of the department, the city, state and zip code. What the Post Office demands is a specific “suite number” to make mail deliverable.

Several of the clerk’s offices within the courthouse offered to accept all mail in an effort to keep the mail flowing and avoid the chaos, but it was to no avail. Contact with the Postal supervisor did not resolve the matter, as she continually stated that it was a “regulation” that such numbers must be indicated on the envelope. Her suggestion was for the county, at taxpayer expense,  to designate each department with a number, reprint all forms, letterheads and envelopes with such a “Suite number” designation and to even change the listings in phone directories. Even if this was viable immediately, the county has no control over how citizens and businesses from across the state, and even the country, address their mail to the Brown County Courthouse.

Various County elected officials have had contact with this supervisor (as there appears to be no Postmaster in Brownwood) and it was believed that a solution had been achieved this past Monday. A county employee was to receive all mail that had no “suite number” and county employees would do the job of the Post Office. The County Judge so designated an employee and a desk was provided to receive the mail. On Monday a Postal employee delivered a bucket of mail that included some with and without such a “suite number.” Some departments received no mail whatsoever. Today’s mail was left with the Administrative Assistant of the County Judge in lieu of being delivered to the designated employee.

The problem specifically involves “Time Sensitive” materials involved in lawsuits, payment of traffic citations and renewal of vehicle registrations. Lawsuits must, by law, be responded to with a specific time frame. If a defendant fails to respond within that time frame they could be open to a default judgment being issued against them. Traffic tickets received by citizens must be responded to within a similar time frame or the fine amounts could be increased, or a warrant issued for Violation of Promise to Appear. This could lead to a suspension of a driver’s license and additional legal problems. With vehicle registrations, those sending in money and the required forms to obtain new stickers, the failure of delivery of the mail could cause delays in obtaining proper registrations.

The Brown County Courthouse has been here since the early 1900’s and has never needed or used such “suite numbers.” There is a single public entrance with a security desk where anyone that seems lost or confused could seek information. There is a single set of stairs and a single elevator with a marquee listing the locations of all departments. The physical layout of the building allows for one to stand in the center of each floor and visually see the department names on each floor.  I am unaware of any prior Post Office notification for these designations.

For those that must correspond with a department within the courthouse, you may wish to use some service other than the U.S. Post Office. If your mail is returned unexpectedly as “Undeliverable,” please retain the envelope as proof that you, at least, tried to comply.