Please be aware that mail dropped at the Fishers Island Post Office may take from 3 to 7 days to get into the recipient’s Fishers Island Post Office box.
Why? Post offices across the country, including Fishers Island’s, need to prove their ‘worth’ through the volume they handle by having the actual pieces of mail counted.
- The Fishers Island Post Office collects the mail from the customers at the window and the street side mailbox and sends it each afternoon, via ferry, to New London where it is received and carted to the USPS Distribution Operations Center in Hartford, CT.
- USPS Distribution Operations Center counts and postmarks the piece of mail.
- It is then returned by truck to New London, and transported back to Fishers Island via the morning ferry, and placed in the customers’ post office boxes.
- Fishers Island Office generally posts a notice in the lobby to indicate all the day’s mail has been sorted and delivered to the mailboxes.
Counting the volume of mail that an office handles provides data to ensure the office is staffed sufficiently. Mailing letters, bills, invitations, and packages from Fishers Island helps with the volume count as does the purchasing of stamps and accessing other USPO services.
“It is in the best interest of our office here on Fishers Island that we comply with USPS technology and security, updates and newly imposed regulations”, added Post Master Kathy Kauffman
Best case scenario: Day 1 mail leaves; Day 2 it is counted; Day 3 it is returned and placed in the 06390 mailbox.
Alternate scenario: If you mail a letter late Thursday, it will leave the Island on Friday afternoon and most likely not be returned until Monday or Tuesday.
So, PLAN AHEAD, especially if you are mailing dated material.
BTW, it is very possible that Fishers Island is the only place that is part of one state and has the zip code of another.
Please introduce yourself to our new Post Master Kathy Kauffman who came to Fishers Island this winter after Gail Utterback-Mills retired in December. Kathy can help answer your questions.
Post Master Kathy Kauffman
kathy.l.kauffman@usps.gov
Fishers Island Post Office
161 Oriental Avenue, #9999
Fishers Island, NY 06390
A reminder for Seasonal Guests’: Learn more about Non-resident PO Box Fees HERE
