Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Malden, Wash., Post Office Proposed Closure

P.O. Box 355
(These letters are shared with readers by request from Nick Backman.)

The USPS has proposed closing the Malden Washington post office. They forgot to notify anyone outside of the town limits, and their proposal has mis leading words and phrases that do not reflect the data presented. Coment eriod ends dec 5th. Our post office was listed as only 56 years old.....it is over 100. That is what got me started on trying to save it. It is one of only a few buildings left over from our glory days as the hub for Milwakee Railroad. They went around spokane on their cross country route, and built a round house here to accomidate the trains.

Here are copys of letters sent to USPS outlining my concerns. The attachments include the USPS' proposal, a letter written by the 9th legislative district , and pictures of our unique post office along with pictures of their idea of a replacement (a bunch of boxes).


Nick Backman
509-569-3536
509-217-1545

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From: Nicholas Backman
Malden WA. 99149-0355

To: Doreen Karoly U.S.P.S. District Discontinuance Coordinator
415 First Ave North
Seattle WA. 98109-9998
Phone 206-442-6171

RE: Docket # 1371535-99149: Proposal to close Malden WA Post Office.

I am writing to object to certain words and phrases used in drafting this proposal and accompanying documents. It is apparent that this document was cobbled together with catch phrases that are inaccurate and do not reflect the data given.

Specifically I am concerned with the improper usage of the words “Several”, “Number”, and “steady”.

By definition, the term“several” means more than two or three, but not many. The term “number” means a great quantity, and the term “steady” means unchanging.

In the docket an accompanying documents it is stated “Over the past severalyears, this office has experienced asteady decline in revenue and/or volume. Your figures presented below do not indicate a “steady decline” over “several years”

WALK IN REVENUE
FY 07: $11,817
FY 08: $12,999
FY 09: $11,364
FY 10: $11,144

Please note that revenue is up the second year over the first, and then the subsequent two years are down. A“steady decline” is not evident across the numbers presented, and that phrase should be stricken from the proposal. Revenues are down only in two years. Two does not make “several”. The term “several” needs to also be removed.

In regards to alternate sites available, the proposal states that “There are a ‘number’ of alternate sites within a short radius of this office that can provide the sale of stamps and the mailing of most package items”. Let me assure you that the only “number” of things within a short radius of Malden are wheat fields. The word “number” is improperly used and needs to be removed.

Driving distances to alternate facilities:
Rosalia: 7 miles one way (14 round trip)
St. John 13 miles one way (26 round trip)
Spangle, Cheney, Steptoe 20 miles one way (40 miles round trip, Nearest Saturday alternative

A factual error on environmental impact page lists the post office as only 56 years old, it is over 100 years old. I have mailed you a picture of the building from 1909.

Other catch phrases that are inaccurate or misleading are in the section titled “advantages of this proposal”.They should be removed as well.

Listed as advantage number four “CBU’s can offer the security of individually locked mail compartments…….” does not apply here. We already have individually locked mail compartments within a heated and dry secure building.

Listed as advantage number five“Customers opting for carrier service will not have to pay P.O. box fees”. The carrier does not travel thru Malden so we will have to use A CBU. Besides, we do not pay for P.O. boxes anyway as there is not door to door service in Malden.

Shown as advantage number six“Saves time and energy for customers who drive to post office to pick up mail”.This is untrue, as the carrier by passes Malden, customers will either have to drive to CBU, Rosalia for a p.o. box, or place a rural box miles outside of town. If anything it will cost time and energy, not save it.

Other information missing:
Additional Businesses and orginizations include All American Electric, A Shriners Lodge, and the farmers and grain elevators that surround us should be identified as businesses. These farmers and the residents of Pine City, though they receive rural delivery service thru Rosalia, use Malden as their closest post office for services.

Thank You

Nicholas Backman

CC: KXLY News
Malden Town Council
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From: Nicholas Backman
P.O. Box 355
Malden, WA 99149-0355

To: Doreen Karoly, District Discontinuance Coordinator
Seattle PFC
415 First Ave N.
Seattle WA 98109-9998

RE: Docket # 1371535-99149: Malden WA Proposed Closure

Other Factor not considered in this proposal: Voting
In the proposal under section “V” (five) entitled “other factors” it is not noted that Washington State is a vote by mail state. The Malden post office serves as the de-factopolling location for Malden, Pine City and other surrounding residents. We are able to drop off our ballots throughout the entire Election Day at our convenience. During the last election, a friend of mine had her ballot sitting on her desk on and had to be reminded to get it in. This proposal fails to address this issue and no solutions have been suggested to accommodate voting in a “regular and effective” fashion.
Additional information: Some Businesses and organizations not listed in proposal include:

Malden Town Hall (We are an incorporated town)
Malden volunteers Fire Department
Malden Library and Community Center
Malden-Rosalia Municipal Airport
Wired or Wireless Communications
Kile Machine and Manufacturing
Knit-Wits knitting club
Malden Community Church
Malden Fence Menders (service organization)
The Mason’s Lodge
The Order Of The Eastern Star
Felton Hall Community Center
Malden Gift Shop and Hair
American Pride Electric (accidently referred to as All-American in a previous letter)
Pine City Cemetery
Malden Pine City Gun Club
Rock Church of Pine City
Pine City Grange
A gravel mine
2 grain elevators and numerous farmers

Thank You

Nick Backman
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From: Nicholas Backman
P.O. Box 355
MaldenWA 99149-0355

To: Doreen Karoly
Seattle PFC
415 first ave North
Seattle WA 98109-9998

RE: Docket # 1371535-99149: Malden Washington proposed closure

OTHER FACTORS NOT CONSIDERED IN DRAFTING THIS PROPOSAL: WEATHER, BAD ROADS
In the proposal under section “V” (five) it says “The Postal Service has identified no other factors for consideration”. Left out of the proposal is the fact that the roads in and out of Malden are narrow two lane roads with no shoulder and steep drop offs. These roads are subject to blowing and drifting snow, and can be blown shut for days. The main road is posted chains required in snow/ice conditions for trucks.

Your proposal has us meeting a truck by the CBU for retail service during a 15 minute window. ROAD CONDITIONS CAN AND WILL CAUSE DELAYS AND/OR CANCELLATION OF THE MAIL TRUCK. People including seniors and handicapped could potentially wait hours for a truck that is delayed or does not show up.

Breaks in storms do not follow your truck’s schedule, and people need to take care of their postal needs when they can get out of their driveway, quickly do what they have to do then get back home. If someone should forget to shovel in time, they might miss the truck.

This places un needed hardships and dangers for our seniors and disabled that do not need to be traveling on the road to Rosalia in severe weather events. They definitely do not need to wait around forever in a storm for the mail truck.

Thank you

Nick Backman

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11-11-2011
From: Nicholas Backman
            P.O. Box 355
            Malden WA 99149-0355

    To:  Doreen Karoly, District Discontinuance Coordinator
            Seattle PFC
            415 First Ave N
            Seattle WA 98109-9998

RE: Docket number 1371535-99149: Malden Washington proposed closure

NOTICE OF NON COMPILANCE WITH PO HANDBOOK 101 PERTAINING TO POST OFFICE CLOSURES

 It has come to my attention that many members of our “community”, namely the farmers (who ARE businesses) and residents that surround Malden including Pine City, have not received mailings regarding the proposal to close the Malden post office. None of them were invited to the “community meeting”, nor did they receive a questionnaire.  These people and businesses receive their mail via rural carrier from Rosalia, but Malden is their closest retail outlet, and they should have been included in the process from the beginning.
 
  Under the glossary of terms (appendix A page 53) in P.O.  Handbook 101 the term “community” is defined as following: “A general term that denotes a group of individuals, with common interests, living in a particular area. These common interests may arise from social, business, governmental, scholastic or recreational associations and may involve consideration of shared institutions, traditions, and public services that help bind the community together. Institutions, services and associations do not always have clear centers or geographic boundaries. A COMMUNITY, THEREFORE, IS NOT NECESSARILY FORMALLY ORGANIZED OR CONFINED WITHIN CORPORATE LIMITS.”

 Under P.O. handbook 101 section 714 regarding community meetings, the post office has failed to meet  subsections ‘c’ and ‘d’. Adequate notice was not provided customers, and the meeting was held at 4:30p.m. on a work day when most people with a job would be unable to attend.

Also under section 715(a) the proposal does not clearly state the reason for discontinuance. As I have pointed out in previous letters, certain words and phrases that are used are mis-leading and do not properly reflect the data presented.

Therefore, in accordance with section 415.1(d) of the P.O. 101 handbook, this proposal should be found NOT WARRANTED.   “The discontinuance investigation was not conducted in accordance with the law and postal service policy”.

Thank you

Nick Backman

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