Medfield Resident Expects Town to Repair Mailboxes it Damages

The Medfield Board of Selectmen plan to discuss the town’s snow removal policy and any mailbox damage resulting from town snow plows at Tuesday's meeting on the second floor of Town Hall, beginning at 7 p.m. 

Medfield resident Joe Collins asked the Board of Selectmen to review the policy at its May 3 meeting because his High Street mailbox was damaged in January and, under the current policy, the town is not responsible for the damage. 

“I came home one evening and noticed that the mailbox had been clipped by a snowplow,” said Collins, who reported the damage to the Department of Public Works, but was told the town does not replace damaged mailboxes.

“I was a bit surprised and shocked that the town has taken the position that they’re not responsible for compensating property owners when the town damages mailboxes,” he said, estimating the damage to be about $500.  “Not only was I shocked, I just thought it was unacceptable and a little arrogant that government would take that position. What I’m asking for is that you review that policy ... I respectfully ask the town to reconsider its position.” 

Collins said he has paid $300,000 in property taxes to the town since 1975 and “now the town wants to nickel and dime me … what I expect the town to do is repair what they damage.”

Town Administrator Michael Sullivan said the town used to repair mailboxes or reimburse for damage “but it was just getting to be too much.”  He said it would be difficult to determine who – the town or the homeowner – is at fault for the damage, and that mailbox values range up to $2,500 each. 

“We just don’t know who’s the ultimate responsible party,” said Sullivan, noting the town plows 75 miles of roadway. “I think we just can’t go ‘Willy Nilly’ because you’re going to have hundreds and hundreds of mailboxes … we get an awful lot of calls saying ‘the town damaged my mailbox’ but we also get calls saying ‘the  town didn’t plow close enough so the town won’t deliver my mail.’”

Sullivan said the town’s snowplowing policy would then have to change so that plows stayed further away from the curb, which could create a safety hazard.  It was also noted that most mailboxes are actually on town property – the town owns within 10 feet of the center of a public way.

Sullivan said he has discussed the issue with Town Counsel Mark Cerel, who has said the town is ultimately not responsible for damage done to private property placed in a public way.

Assistant Town Manager Kristine Trierweiler reported that of the 29 towns surveyed regarding their mailbox replacement policy, nine said they do not replace anything and the other 20 towns go from replacing damaged mailboxes with ones they keep on hand that are discarded at the transfer station, to $120 mailboxes they purchase in bulk from Home Depot. Some towns set a limit on a replacement value (such as Lexington, that has a limit of $200).

Selectman Ann Thompson said she understood Collins’ complaint because her mailbox was damaged years ago by a plow (she now has a box at the Post Office).  She suggested the non-binding question be put on the next Town Meeting warrant.

“It’s the taxpayers’ money so I don’t want to go spend it without a town meeting vote,” she said.

Board of Selectmen Chairman Osler "Pete" Peterson said he was happy to let the town decide if they want to pay for mailbox repairs or replacement.

“I don’t have a problem putting that to the people,” said Peterson.  “We need to work out an accommodation that’s reasonable and workable for everybody; it really is just a policy decision.  If the town wants to spend more money on compensating people whose mailboxes get clipped – because we know that mailboxes are going to get clipped and knocked down every year because plowing is not an easy thing all the time – then … we can put it to the town.”

Selectmen Mark Fisher was not present for the mailbox issue at the May 3 meeting so the issue was continued to May 17.