While the frustrations of city residents on one block of are certainly disappointed, we must unfortunately admit that they are not surprising.

The U.S. Postal Service is considering a “clusterbox” or a large consolidated unit that contains all the mailboxes for the block within. The Postal Service says a roaming dog is prompting the discussion.

The option seems to be a much more permanent change than one irresponsible owner’s loose dog would merit.

More tellingly, the residents of the block say they’ve found the Postal Service’s handling of the matter to be abysmal. They told the Sun-Gazette for an article in last Wednesday’s edition that the Postal Service has been negligent in communicating the possibility of the change. They complain they’ve already gone weeks — in some cases months — without delivery. They have valid concerns about elderly neighbors walking to the end of the block on icy mornings to retrieve their mail.

While we recognize that mail delivery is by necessity, the Constitution and by our nation’s history tasked to the federal government, we all should also recognize that the federal government all too often is too slow-paced and too impervious to its constituents.

And we should consider that unfortunate reality when some advocate expanding the responsibilities and authority of the federal government into new aspects of society for which neither the Constitution or our history suggests an aptitude.