Malden WA post office: clarification of Title 39 section 101 (b)
From: Nicholas Backman
P.O. Box 355
Malden WA
99149-0355
To: Doreen Karoly
P.O. Box 90409
Seattle WA
90109-9402
RE: Docket # 1371535-99149 PROPOSAL TO CLOSE MALDEN WA POST OFFICE
“"Maximum degree of effective and regular postal services to rural areas, communities, and small towns where post offices are not self-sustaining."
The answer given the most during the community meeting was “this proposal will provide the maximum degree of effective and regular service. Unfortunately that statute is not clearly defined, and the USPS has been using the wrong definition of “regular”.
As defined in the dictionary, the word “regular” has several definitions. The closest definition is “customary, usual or normal”. The USPS’ definition of “regular” is the 5th definition given “happening at fixed intervals: periodic”.
When the word “regular” is set into context of the statute, the proper definition is the first one: customary and usual normal operations; the way it has always been.
Congress was not saying “a maximum degree of showing up every day”; there is no such thing. Either you show up or you do not show up. There is not a maximum degree of showing up. So we have to use the “customary, usual or normal” definition.
The intent of Congress in including this statute was that a rural post office would operate with a maximum degree of effectiveness in the usual, normal and customary way.
With that cleared up, it is apparent that this proposal calls for a fundamental transformation in the way we receive retail services. There is nothing “regular” about your proposal.
And as far as effective goes, the courier is only available at the CBU for 15 minutes. That does not give one time to receive a letter or bill; go home or somewhere out of the weather, and return in time to get it out the same day. This is neither regular nor effective to retrieve the mail from a CBU in a blizzard.
Your proposal for parcel lockers is neither regular nor effective. If implemented the USPS should file for a new trademark “IF IT FITS……IT’S DELIVERED”. The parcel lockers are only so big and there will only be so many of them. Oversized items or a great quantity of packages will result in items being sent to Rosalia. The library receives time sensitive parcels three times a week. Time and temperature sensitive medications will freeze or boil in the lockers or not be delivered due to excessive volume of packages. It is neither regular nor effective to segregate packages and arbitrarily decide who gets a package that day, and who does not based on volume or size.
Therefore with the proper definition of “regular” in mind, this proposal should be found
“NOT WARRENTED”, it does not provide a “maximum degree of effective and regular service”
Thank You
Nick Backman
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