HomeMy WebLinkAbout10-15-15 Boylan Comment regarding Bozeman Chronicle Delivery Good afternoon Mayor Krause and Commissioners Andrus,Mehl, Pomeroy and Taylor,
I tried to send all of you an email yesterday evening and received a message that the email
addressees for Mayor Krause, Commissioners Andrus and Pomeroy were not correct. I received
this email address from the Clerk's office so I apologize to Commissioners Mehl and Taylor for
the duplication. I am enclosing a copy of my original email.
Dear Mr. Horn,
As a follow-up to my"Letter to the Editor"that I sent today, my husband and I moved into Phase 1 of the
Bridger Creek Subdivision in August 2001, we have received the Bozeman Daily Chronicle at our front
door without too many hiccups until the past couple of months. During the middle of the summer, we
would find the paper thrown on the driveway, on our neighbor's driveway or somewhere in the yard or it
was just not delivered. Every morning it was an "adventure"to see where it had been tossed. Needless,
to say the adventure got old and we, as well as other residents of 1037 Boylan Road, began calling the
Subscription Desk to report the problem. The remarks and/or comments were often apathetic and rude
with one employee saying"you should be glad you get the paper". Unfortunately,this is not a department
store or restaurant and I cannot take my business elsewhere.
i
Approximately a month ago, the paper began being placed in a series of unmarked black, generic
newspaper receptacles, which have not been used in fourteen years. I spoke with Dan Clark at the
Chronicle, who said that the boxes were not installed by and did not belong to the Chronicle. I confirmed
with the United States Postal Service that the boxes did not belong to them as well. After speaking with
some of the original residents of 1037 Boylan Road, it appears that the boxes were put in place in order
that the Chronicle could be delivered since it was designated a motor delivery versus foot delivery. I
asked Mr. Clark would the paper be delivered to our driveways if the boxes were removed and he said to
"go for it".
Another resident of 1037 Boylan Road spoke with an employee of the Chronicle on Friday, October 2,
2015 and was told that our paper was now part of a "rural motor route" and that the carrier was an
E;
independent contractor and the Chronicle has little ability to tell the drivers how to deliver the paper.
When the employee was asked if someone was calling for a new subscription for delivery in a
condominium in this area with no boxes, what would they be told? The employee said the Chronicle is
telling people that they can't guarantee delivery of the paper in this area. To some this may seem
insignificant; however, there are 152 residences in Phase I of Bridger Creek Subdivision. Of those
residences, 22 have orange newspaper receptacles owned by the Bozeman Daily Chronicle. On Sunday,
October 4, 2015, I walked past every single residence in Phase I, which includes 7 cul de sacs, and
newspapers were delivered either in the orange receptacles or wrapped in plastic and thrown onto the
driveways,except at 1037 Boylan Road. So these are my questions:
1. How can the Chronicle define our"route"as rural when we have 152 residences and the definition of
rural is characteristic of a countryside rather than a town?Are the residents of Sypes Canyon, Triple Tree
and Hyalite Canyon considered to live in a rural area? You might have noticed that I copied in the city
and county commissioners to this email. The reason for this action is to hopefully understand how you
can call our area "rural" however, both the city and county commissioners, collectively and individually,
state that Bozeman is growing and that they are trying to keep up with the growth. On a number of
occasions, Mayor Krause has commented that Bozeman is no longer a farm town. To make sure that I
understand your use of"rural", does this mean that all the homes built and in the process of being built
east of Story Mill Road are part of the "rural" route? How do you determine that our cul de sac and
surrounding area are rural?
2. To deliver the paper to the orange receptacles and/or throw them onto the individual driveways one
must either walk on foot,drive on the wrong side of the rode,or drive a vehicle that has been modified for
the steering to be on the right side of the vehicle. Why is our cul de sac the exception?Would it not be
easier to throw the papers onto the driveways rather than get out of the vehicle and place them in the
black newspaper receptacles or is the person literally driving up on the curb?
3. Finally, the online advertisement for subscriptions states "Home delivery Tuesday through
Sunday". The synonym of HOME is residence,place of residence,house, apartment...
Thank you in advance for your review and consideration of my email and post and I look forward to a
positive response and resolution.
Margaret Boylan
1037 Boylan Road.#4