[Durham INC] Postal Service delivery method swtich attempt

Fri Aug 31 22:30:30 EDT 2012

Mr  King,

Sure hope  I quoted that correctly, but it certainly stuck in my mind as  
well.
And  frankly I don't think Durham should care how you handle your email as 
much as we  do care how you handle all our snail mail [in today's lingo}.

So let's get this conversation on a constructive track.

That problem you mentioned with garbage carts blocking mail boxes, that's  
something we should be able to help with. A past Postmaster, Chris Tinkham, 
saw  lots of ways the PO and the neighborhoods could work better together.

His idea of offering a cluster box at the entrance of certain curbside  
delivery neighborhoods was more than intriguing. Once again, first and  
foremost, it would be the neighborhood's CHOICE to accept the offer, but you  could 
see the savings in time for the delivery person and why Chris made  that 
offer. You are certainly under no obligation to offer the same.

Personally, I think each new Postmaster should be starting with a new  
slate, and it isn't fair to hold them to the prior Postmaster's statements. But  
that is also part of the problem given the quantity of new postmasters in 
the  last 7 or 8 years.

Mike Woodard and I have met with each one as soon as they've settled in,  
just as we did with you, Mike. We generally leave with a lukewarm commitment  
that it won't happen on their watch, then it does. We have the discussion 
about  if the PO has the right, {stage we're at right now} and the Postmaster 
looks  into it and discovers we're right, and then, eventually they are 
replaced  with a new Postmaster, and the cycle repeats.

So here's a proposal to end this repetitive cycle:  When you check  into 
the Postal Codes and conclude this pressure to change the mode of  delivery 
this way just isn't going to work here in Durham. Maybe you could copy  that 
section and we could frame it nicely and super glue it to your office  wall.

It would sure save the incoming Postmaster some time. It would also save a  
countless number of folks from the hassle of dealing with that letter that  
should never be sent. Worse yet the low income new home owner facing an 
unfair,  and unexpected expense of erecting a rural mailbox that will look out 
of  place in an antique, porch delivered, neighborhood.  

If you don't like the idea of gluing it to the wall, perhaps we could  
shorten the cycle with a document from headquarters in Greensboro.

Bill Anderson

In a message dated 8/31/2012 8:02:22 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,  
dagnhrt at mindspring.com writes:

I'm  appalled at the mass deletion of 2600 emails. Perhaps the judicious  
application of filters would be helpful. 

At 02:44 PM 8/31/2012,  TheOcean1 at aol.com wrote:

Mr  King

As promised, I'm sending this email to you as well  as the neighborhoods, 
and if you'll "reply to all", President John Martin  will share any comments 
from you with the neighborhoods,  too.

In our conversation, I also promised to relay what  was said, and will do 
my best to be accurate. If you disagree with any of my  recollections of this 
call, you're invited to correct  them.

You said you'd take care of the address that  received the letter. Please 
keep us posted as to exactly what that  entails.

You said you had missed the original email  because you had 2600 emails 
upon your return from vacation, and that bogs  down your laptop, so you mass 
deleted them.

You said  {and we disagreed on this point} that the USPS has the right to  
independently decide to change the mode of delivery. You seemed to couple  
that right with how long a property has been vacant, citing a five year  
vacancy as an example.

I encouraged you to join the INC  listserv so that you can communicate 
directly with Durham neighborhoods. You  said you might do that because of a 
consistent problem with garbage bins  slowing down mail delivery on garbage 
day. I suggested this was a fine  example of how being able to send a message 
city wide might benefit the  postal service.

We look forward to your  reply,

Bill Anderson

____________________________________

From: TheOcean1 at aol.com

To: mike.e.king at usps.gov, inc-list at durhaminc.org,  nathanegriffin at gmail.com

Sent: 8/20/2012 12:07:31 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time

Subj: Fwd: [Durham INC] 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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Ellen M. Dagenhart, ABR, e-Pro, GRI, SRES
_MailTo:dagnhrt at mindspring.com
_ (mailto:dagnhrt at mindspring.com) Marie Austin Realty, Durham, NC
1204 Broad Street,  Durham, NC 27705
_http://www.marieaustin.com
_ (http://www.marieaustin.com/) Office   919-286-5611  FAX  919-286-2252  
Cell 919-475-1719 
_http://www.linkedin.com/pub/ellen-dagenhart/2/8a7/642
_ (http://www.linkedin.com/pub/ellen-dagenhart/2/8a7/642) 
Check it out! _http://www.durham-nc.com/www.wheregreatthingshappen.com

_ (http://www.durham-nc.com/www.wheregreatthingshappen.com) 
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