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What's Next for Berkeley's Main Post Office

5/1/2015

1 Comment

 

A New Phase in the Fight to Save Our Post Office

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Window in disrepair at Berkeley's landmarked Main Post Office. Photo credit: Kristopher Skinner/ Bay Area News Group
Berkeley made history by going to court and stopping the Postal Service from selling our Downtown Post Office. Our community's work isn’t over—the Postal Service may try again to sell the building. We need to get full postal services back. And the Postal Service must restore the building to the good physical condition that it deserves.

Return Services and Save Money
As part of the “relocation” process Berkeley residents who live near the Main Post Office and miss a package delivery now have to go to the station on San Pablo. This is inconvenient and wastes their time and (sometimes) fuel.  Downtown Berkeley needs a bulk mail drop off. Traveling out to Eighth Street is a waste of time for downtown businesses and organizations.  The wait time at the service windows often exceeds thirty minutes.

Bring the Carriers Back
At the hearing in September of 2012, the Postal Service presentation showed that moving carriers out of the Main Post Office would result in additional labor costs of $106,000 each year and additional transportation costs of $36,000 each year. If the Postal Service had moved out of the building, these costs would have been offset by reduced maintenance and utility costs. But the Postal Service is staying, so save money and bring the carriers back.
September 2012 USPS Presentation (excerpt)

Hey USPS! Release the Structural Report!

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Berkeley wrote a check to the USPS for $847.55 to cover clerical and copying costs back in December. But the Postal Service still won't release the documents.
Back when Hudson McDonald was in contract to buy 2000 Allston Way, they commissioned a structural report. Hudson McDonald was contractually required to provide a copy to the Postal Service and also bound to confidentiality. The Postal Service refuses to release the report. We use the building. We have a right to know its condition.

Click for a copy of the court record.
The record shows how the Postal Service stonewalled the requests from Berkeley and our City Attorney, Zach Cowan.

Excess Space? Lease it out.

We understand that 2000 Allston Way has more space than the Postal Service is currently able to efficiently use. The Postal Service’s Inspector General is currently assessing how the Postal Service can make the most efficient use of unused space. We believe that in seeking tenants for unused space at 2000 Allston Way, the Postal Service should select tenants who are able to both provide income to the Postal Service and to honor and enhance the public function of the building.

An analysis by the Inspector General found that offering increased financial services (Postal Banking) will increase Postal Service revenue. 2000 Allston Way is a superb location for a Postal Banking pilot program.

1 Comment
sheila goldmacher link
5/2/2015 05:21:59 am

thanx so much for all the great work thus far done to save our Berkeley Post Office. Just another privitization scam on the citizens of this country. I love the idea of a postal savings bank! I will be present next Saturday for the celebration.

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    ABOUT

    The USPS wants to sell Berkeley's historic main post office. Citizens to Save the Berkeley Post Office is a grassroots group that has come together to block the sale of our heritage, stop service cut backs, and preserve living wage postal jobs.

    Our fight is not unique. Thousands of post office closures across the country mean the largest private auction of public history our nation has ever seen.

    Join the movement and spread the word. Our post office is not for sale.

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    Ten Easy Steps
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    to Save Your Post Office!


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    Jac McCormick in NYC
    Fighting for America's
    Post Offices!
    WATCH THE VIDEO!


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    Tell Staples the U.S. Mail is Not for Sale!
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    Sign the petition to stop the sale of historic post office like Berkeley's Downtown Main!

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    Getting rid of middle class jobs is the end. Privatization is the means. Fox News doesn't keep their agenda a secret. Watch the video.

    [10 on Tuesday] 10 Ways to Fight for Your Local Post Office from PreservationNation

    October 2, 2013 letter from Ralph Nader to Senator Dianne Feinstein

    baha_letter_to_usps.pdf
    File Size: 222 kb
    File Type: pdf
    Download File

    sample_letter.docx
    File Size: 15 kb
    File Type: docx
    Download File


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