New 911 county addresses are to take effect on Jan. 1
* Both old and new addresses will remain in the system for one year; conversion to be complete by 2010.
As the new year dawns so do the new addresses for Vernon County residents, except those living within incorporated areas such as Nevada, Walker and Sheldon. The new addresses will take effect Thursday and both the old and the old addresses will work with the post office until the end of 2009, at which time only mail with the new addresses will be delivered.
According to the Vernon County G.I.S. office, those who have a rural route number will have a change of address. However, if you live within an incorporated community and already have a street number; chances are the address is already 911 compliant and will not change.
Nevada's postmaster, Bart Green, said that starting Jan. 1, 2010, only the new addresses will work.
"Everything with the old addresses will go back to the sender marked 'unable to forward'," Green said. "Our system is set up for both addresses now but after 2009 only the new address will be official."
Vernon County Assistant G.I.S. Director Joshua Pyle said the county has made every effort to reach everyone affected but there remains the possibility that some were inadvertently missed, and if they were they need to contact the G.I.S. office so the situation can be remedied. Some people have lost their cards and aren't sure what to do, Pyle noted, so anyone who has lost their new addresses or has any questions should also contact the office.
"Cards have been sent to current addresses and we went out into the county looking for everyone but someone might have been missed," Pyle said. "If anyone has not gotten an address from us yet they need to contact us so we can get it taken care of."
More information is available online, at www.vernoncountymo.org or by phone (417)448-2502.