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Letter to the Editor: Arcadia Postal Patrons Speak Out

Published in the Arcadia Weekly

Backward mailbox at the Arcadia Post Office. Photo by Terry Miller. - Beacon Media News

Backward mailbox at the Arcadia Post Office. File Photo by Terry Miller. – Beacon Media News

Dear Editor:

I’ve been keeping up with your recent and well deserved rants about the drive-through mail boxes being moved to their current, ridiculous location. At first I was glad this faux pas had been brought to light, simply because the location they chose was so absolutely absurd.

My question to you though, is: has anyone bothered to contact the Post Master at that location and ask THEM what the heck they were thinking?

I would think that would be one step in the journalistic process, but there’s been no mention of it. A couple of weeks after the boxes were moved, I actually voiced my displeasure to one of the clerks and was told that this was a temporary location for the boxes due to upcoming construction, that the post office had applied to the City for permits for the new permanent location.

I’m not sure what they were referring to about upcoming construction, but it seemed plausible. I thought it was comical when I arrived this week to find the box OUT OF ORDER with so much caution tape. I, too, wondered how a box could be out of order, so I looked a little closer to find that someone had pried open the back of the box.

So, if one were to deposit their mail through the top, another could simply open the hatch in the back and remove the mail. A federal offense, yes, but that doesn’t seem to stop people.

Having worked with the public for 30 years, I can tell you that they don’t typically pay attention to much, let alone signs. So, yes, sadly it does need to be highly decorated so no one will use it. I’m not siding with the idiotic decisions the post office made, I’m just shedding a little light on what I know thus far. Or, at least, what I’ve been told.

Frustrated Postal Patron, Shelly, Arcadia

Dear Editor:

The Mayor is right, the Arcadia Postmaster or whomever in the Post Office ordered the change, is an idiot. Then put an “Out of Order” sign with yellow tape around the one.

This is especially difficult if one is somewhat disabled. There was nothing wrong with the old location of the mailboxes.

Decisions such as this one had to be made by a “Dumb & Dumber” person or persons.

It’s a situation made for an accident waiting to happen.

Rosemarie Vanderhaar – vial email

Dear Editor:

It is legal to cross over a double yellow line if you are turning into a driveway or business.The moving of the mailboxes has to be one of the most stupid move I have ever seen.

Gene – via email

Dear Editor:

When I was employed by an Arcadia based firm ,”Oh So Many Years Ago” I used the Santa Clara mail drops on many occasions each week as I now use the well designed system employed by our local Rosemead drop boxes located in the shopping center adjacent to the Post Office. The Rosemead situation is located on the drive quite convenient for those driving into the center and those exiting. And there are two driving lanes for each direction of travel.

The Rosemead boxes have been in operation for over forty years…perhaps the Arcadia Postmaster should have picked up the telephone and requested some advice from the dude at Rosemead.

Bob Falcon – Via email

Dear Editor: Arcadia – Use Sierra Madre Post Office, reader suggests

Thanks for putting this problem on the front page of our newspaper. Here’s a solution: With Post Office budgets based upon volume, Arcadian’s can simply go up Baldwin and use the convenient drive up deposit boxes on the right (east) a block below Sierra Madre Blvd.

Need to go in for service? Virtually never a line for service, the staff is very friendly and helpful. Hitting him in the wallet where it hurts may wake him up and reconsider just who he serves. Clearly, after this dumb move and expense, the word MASTER shouldn’t follow the word POST.

Jim McKellar

Dear Editor: Post Office Fiasco

I just learned the Post MASTER (?) has been relocated to Sierra Madre.

Your article + other items you’ve printed about the(mail) boxes relocation have been cut out and taped next to the employees time clock.

Apparently the woman boss of the region has had it with the guy…who apparently has been bounced around all over the country. He is now forbidden to supervise any postmen/women and can only supervise clerks-which there are 3 in S.M.. Ah-the power of the free press.

Jim McKellar

Source Beacon Media News