A resident contends that the unwanted delivery of free copies of The Villages Daily Sun has been causing a safety concern in his neighborhood.
Mark Rhodes, who lives in the Cameron Villas in the Village of Calumet Grove, took his concern before the Amenity Authority Committee on Wednesday at Savannah Center.
He said the Daily Sun has been delivering free newspapers to homes in his villa community. He said it is worrisome because many of the recipients are snowbirds. The newspapers are piling up at the homes, sending a clear signal that no one is home.
“How would a resident know papers are piling up when they haven’t subscribed and they don’t know they are being delivered?” Rhodes asked members of the AAC.
Rhodes said he contacted the Daily Sun, but was told the newspapers would continue to be delivered because they have been paid for a by a sponsor.
Rhodes said he discovered that Lexus of Wesley Chapel was sponsoring deliveries of the newspapers. He tried to contact Lexus of Wesley Chapel with his concern, but was similarly dismissed.
The nine-year resident of the Cameron Villas said it’s not the regular morning Daily Sun drivers who are delivering the free newspapers, but rather a second driver making the delivery later in the day.
Rhodes was also concerned that more work is being created for Community Watch by having drivers pick up and remove the newspapers. However, Community Watch Chief Nehemiah Wolfe said his agency does not have an agreement to pick up the unwanted newspapers.
AAC Chair Donna Kempa said the AAC has no authority over the delivery of free newspapers by the Daily Sun.
“It’s a commercial enterprise. We have no control over it,” Kempa said. “I really don’t know why the Daily Sun would spend the money to deliver newspapers to people who don’t want them.”
AAC member Don Deakin said there have been previous complaints about the Daily Sun delivering the free newspapers.
“This is not the first time we’ve heard about this. We have heard about it from other residents, who are picking up the newspapers from homes in the neighborhood,” Deakin said.
