Hallandale Beach Lost Two Dedicated Public Servants

The United States Postal Service is an entity to itself. The Postal Service started in Boston, Massachusetts in the late 1600’s. In 1706 the Continental Congress established the Official Postal Service and Benjamin Franklin was the first Postmaster. In 1702, the Postal Service was codified by Congress with the Postal Service Act. The Act ensured privacy in the mail making it illegal to open someone's mail and provided that newspapers could be mailed. It provides for open communication and information to citizens.

The service went through many changes. In 1970, was the biggest change when Congress provided for the ability for postal workers to unionize and other operational changes. The Executive Branch and Congress still control the Postal Service rates, routes and locations. There continues to be a push to totally privatize the service due to the cost of operations. Congress though still has control and have allowed some private contracting.

In my opinion privatization just like attempts to privatize Social Security would be a mistake. Big business controlling functions that ensure protections to the average Joe and Jane are critical. Could you imagine our Mail ballots being controlled by a corporation?

This is not to say that Congress shouldn't be addressing some of the shortcomings. A bit of trivia might shed light on the need for performance changes. The Pony Express could deliver mail within 8 days. So with the modern transportation systems and technology there is definitely room for improvement. Still, compared to a FedEx letter starting at around $11.00 dollars to USPS at $9.35 and packages overnight at FedEx starting at $61.25 and USPS at $28.75, it’s a good value.

The most important part of any organization is it's employees. During COVID-19, we learned the value of all of our Front Line Workers and Postal Workers who fall into this category and should be treated fairly and with the respect they deserve. You never throw out the whole bunch for one bad apple. Sadly, we lost two of our local postal workers recently.

The postmaster of Hallandale Beach, Bobby Jean Sims, recently retired and then lost her battle to Cancer. Bobby Jean was laid to rest on June 15th. She was raised in Hollywood and graduated from Hollywood Hills High School in 1976. She started her career in the Postal Service as a Clerk in North Miami. She worked her way up the ranks to become the Postmaster of Hallandale Beach in 2015. She was very proud of her two children, daughter Talinay and son Eric. She will truly be missed by her three sisters, grandchildren and her entire extended family. Most importantly, her colleagues came together to celebrate her life. We thank her and them for their continued service to our community.

Another tragic loss was a loyal Postal Carrier that served the western area of our City. Keith Tyrone Jones, Sr. Also known as Tap. Tap served in the U.S. Army until 1994 when he started his career as a Postal Worker. He has served for over 21 years and was married for 48 years to Linda and had three children and 17 grandchildren.

He was very spiritual and loved to share his love and knowledge of history with his children. Often helping with school projects. He loved his music. He also was known for sharing old quotes as lessons in life, to live your life intentionally. He too will be missed by the community and his fellow workers. He was laid to rest on June 17th.

Over the years, there seems to be a lack of respect for the day-to-day workers we come in touch with. I believe the super majority of people are still kind. We all need to remember that these individuals are mothers, fathers, sons and daughters. They are you and me. We need to stop and take a moment before we lose our patience with people. There are always Laws, Rules and Regulations that impact services. Remember being kind and civil does not cost a dime and like I was taught, you always catch more bees with honey!

Thank you to all the Postal Workers!

As always please feel free to contact me anytime with your questions, concerns, and ideas to make our city a better place. I am available at: jcooper@cohb.org. Or: joycooper@aol.com. You can reach me at my office number: (954) 457-1318. Or Cell/Text at: (954) 632-5700. You can always visit my Facebook and follow me at Mayor Joy Cooper.

Editor's Note
I remember both Bobby Jean and Keith fondly. Working in this community for over 30 years I have come across many individuals who serve the community. I must say both, Bobby Jean & Keith were dedicated public servants and will be missed.

I remember visiting the Hallandale Beach Post Office on US -1 and Bobby would make sure that if you needed assistance she was there to make it move as quickly as possible. She cared about her job and the people of the community.

Keith Tyrone Jones, Sr. was our Postman in West Hallandale Beach, we would see him almost every day. He was a truly kind man and dedicated to his job. He would go out of his way to make sure all of the mail had the correct postage and if it wasn't ready when he arrived, he would go to the end of the plaza and come back to us. He always had a treat for the dog in our office. Within the past few years, he would talk with us about his retirement plans and we wished him well and thanked him for all his efforts and kindness.

They will both be missed!