Mail controversy brings congressman to Custer County

Ongoing mail issues in the rural neighboring towns of Silver Cliff and Westcliffe brought Republican Rep. Scott Tipton to Custer County Monday for a town hall meeting to address the situation.

Residents said the problems stem from Silver Cliff not having its own ZIP code and post office. This causes mail to be rerouted through Denver before being delivered locally.

The town currently shares a post office and ZIP code with Westcliffe.

“Because Silver Cliff doesn’t have its own ZIP code, it’s unable to collect sales tax revenue,” Tipton said. “I’ve introduced legislation for the town to have its own ZIP code. We hope to see something happen within the next 6 to 8 months.”

Residents said the U.S. Postal Service closed the Silver Cliff office decades ago as a cost-cutting measure, but the mail problems only developed within the past year after a new postmaster, Cindy Crosby, took over.

According to residents, problems include long delays in receiving mail, lost mail, and packages that arrive opened with missing contents.

Around 50 people attended the meeting in Silver Cliff. The Postal Service was invited but a representative didn’t attend. However, a spokesman said later that the office will try to talk with Tipton about the situation.

Crosby was unavailable for comment Monday.

Both Westcliffe and Silver Cliff have similar populations of about 600.

Ann Barthrop, a Silver Cliff resident, said the situation is frustrating for the entire community, as mail service is being disrupted across the county.

“The stories I heard [about what’s happening at the post office] are horrific — what people have gone through, the verbal harassment, police being called on people and how the mail’s being handled,” she said.

In a related matter, Tipton said he also may get involved with another mail concern occurring near Wetmore, on the east side of the county.
Wetmore residents said some of them have to drive no more than a few miles to get mail, while some have to drive nearly 15 miles to Florence in Fremont County.

“That area isn’t within my district, but we may take that on as well,” Tipton said.