[Durham INC] Fwd: Postal Service delivery method swtich attempt

Tue Aug 21 13:50:54 EDT 2012

When I moved here, December 2000, and changed my mailing address to Durham
in January 2001, the USPS tried to "strong arm" me into installing a curb
side mail box.  They sent me several nasty letters and then withheld my
mail.  I fought them tooth and nail for weeks because I didn't think they
could legally require this, and fortunately it still was a time when we had
regular mail carriers.  Mine was a wonderful man named Eddie.  Between his
efforts and mine, we kept my service at my door.  My huge concern was
security.  I live up on a hill on Anderson Street at the corner of Elmwood,
quite a distance from Anderson or from Elmwood.  I freaked at the thought of
the security issues if I installed a rural type of mailbox on one of the
curbs-i.e., no security whatsoever.  When I lived in the DC area, there were
sets of secured mailboxes (I've seen these in subdivisions here too), and
that was ok.  But the approach of unsecured rural mailboxes in an urban area
was totally unacceptable, and still would be. 

In addition, this was my first interaction with a government agency in
Durham.  Even though it wasn't local government, it was a really unpleasant
"welcome" to the community, and one that I will never forget.  

Regards,

Marge Nordstrom

From: inc-list-bounces at rtpnet.org [mailto:inc-list-bounces at rtpnet.org] On
Behalf Of TheOcean1 at aol.com
Sent: Monday, August 20, 2012 6:39 PM
To: inc-list at durhaminc.org
Subject: Re: [Durham INC] Fwd: Postal Service delivery method swtich attempt

Speaking as a Realtor, if you purchase a home in an older neighborhood that
is porch delivery, then that's your mode of delivery.

Asking folks to change that would be fine, but tricking them into it isn't.

If you put up a rural mailbox in an urban neighborhood and leave it for 90
days, it becomes etched in stone as your mode of delivery... so it's not a
decision to take lightly.

The USPS's own code dictates that such a change should be sweeping to avoid
creating a zig zag route for the mailman. (Going from curb, to porch and
back again, is not a time saving route)

Inner city neighborhoods are not suited to curb side boxes due to folks
parking on the street in front of them. Mail inside curb side boxes isn't as
secure as a box on the porch  -  unless you are out in the country.

Bottom line: Even if it was to the USPS's advantage to convert all delivery
to curb side boxes, the choice is the citizen's to make. That should not
occur because of a slyly worded letter ending in "do this by this date or
we'll return your mail to the sender", which is what most of the other
letters said.

Imagine yourself as the lower income new homeowner who has your hands full
with all the details of a recent move. Purchasing and installing the curb
side box is an unexpected expense in both time and money. It will be the
most likely thing you'll hit with your car, and they look ridiculous in true
urban settings.

Lastly, having visited with each incoming new Postmaster for years, all
agree that this practice isn't fair, nor has it been approved by them.  They
each committed to stopping it, and we should hold them to what they said
they'd do.

Bill Anderson
REALTOR
(919) 282-8209 cell

www.FrankWardRealtors.com <http://www.frankwardrealtors.com/> 

(919) 688-5811 Office
(919) 688-2094 Fax
theOcean1 at aol.com 

In a message dated 8/20/2012 5:52:42 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
christinebbd at yahoo.com writes:

I realize this is a hot button subject for members of Durham INC.  I could
use a refresher course on why installing mailboxes at the curb is such a
terrible idea?  The postal service is trying to keep it's head above water,
and at a time when all government offices are squeezing every last penny, is
it such a bad thing to ask a community to go to curbside delivery?  

I've had a mailbox at the curb for 18 years, in east Durham.  My first home
was near Southern High School and now I"m in Grove Park.  I don't see the
mailboxes in my neighborhood as ugly, it's merely a utility of sorts.  There
are green boxes for the phone/cable company, larger green boxes for the
power company, and curbside mailboxes.  Many, if not all, of my neighbors
have flowers, bushes, etc around their mailbox.

Is it simply "change" to something new that is the problem here?  Change can
be a difficult thing.  

Christine Chamberlain

  _____  

From: "TheOcean1 at aol.com" <TheOcean1 at aol.com>
To: mike.e.king at usps.gov; inc-list at durhaminc.org; nathanegriffin at gmail.com 
Sent: Monday, August 20, 2012 12:07 PM
Subject: [Durham INC] Fwd: Postal Service delivery method swtich attempt

 Mr King,  

Not so long ago we had our little pow wow regarding this unacceptable
practice, and gained your commitment that it would stop.

As pointed out below, the problem seems to persist, but only in certain
neighborhoods.

Is it the USPS policy or belief that folks in affluent neighborhoods deserve
a different quality of postal service?

The fact that many East Durham streets are now peppered with rural mail
boxes, (which look rather silly in an urban setting), indicates your Post
Office is targeting neighborhoods of lower economic status. That elevates
this practice well beyond "unacceptable", in fact even "Un-American" would
likely be too kind.

Unsavory, unethical, unimaginable all come to mind - but perhaps "Criminal"
is most appropriate.

Since these employees are supposedly under your control, it's time you
explained to the citizens of Durham how this "accident" continues on your
watch.

Bill Anderson

  _____  

From: cpalenchar at hotmail.com
To: inc-list at durhaminc.org, nathanegriffin at gmail.com
Sent: 8/20/2012 10:07:15 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time
Subj: [Durham INC] Postal Service delivery method swtich attempt

John/others-

I know INC has helped many people deal with this issue in the past. My new
neighbor, Nathan, was just given this letter asking him to put a mailbox at
the curb by our mail delivery person. How should he respond to this? (Nathan
is on the To: of this email if you'd prefer to respond just to him on how to
handle the issue.)

I remain completely frustrated that the post office is attempting these
misleading tactics. And even more frustrated that they have been more
successful in my community than in some of the more well connected, well
organized communities. It seems unfair to take advantage of people who don't
know better. But, that's another topic.

-chloe

=

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  _____  

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