Fine by me. While they're at it, the USPS should cut back delivery to 3 days per week also. I don't understand why this dinosaur keeps getting propped up like this. Mail delivery just isn't as necessary as it used to be and the majority of mail that comes to my house at least is junk mail that I don't want anyway. Continuing to pay salaries and benefits to federal employees of the USPS to deliver junk mail is ridiculous. Just like sending telegrams became obsolete when telephones were common, mail delivery is unnecessary because of the internet.

Jeff - The USPS has become self-sufficient and has not directly received taxpayer dollars in decades.

I do agree that the USPS should cut back, but I don't think it should be as drastic as 3 days per week as the above poster. Plenty of stuff still comes in the mail. While volume is decreasing, not everything can be done over the internet. The USPS should be decreasing in small steps just like the volume of mail. Saturday delivery should be cut first. Just subtracting that day would reduce operating by 16%. Then in a few years they can decide if another day should be cut, but I don't see it going under 4 days a week. Too many things still have to come by mail and go out by mail, but smart decrease could go a long way in helping reduce operatiing costs.

The USPS is not funded through the federal government. It is a self-sufficient entity and the second largest employer in the country. It makes its money through sales of postal products and services. It has not been managed well and has not evolved as the use of electronic communication has become more widely used (email, instant messaging, texts, social media).

There will be a serious derth of post offices in NE Baltimore if the Waverly, Clifton and Hamilton branches shut. Some of these others are extremely remote and rural places, like Ewell, on Smith Island.

There are still post offices? Who knew?

I don't think I've been to a post office in 10 years. What a dinosaur.

I agree with Jeff-- anything that cant wait a week should be delivered electronically anyway. Less risk for identity theft, less cost, more timely, etc.

If you dont have a computer, walk to the library.

What many people don't know is that the Post Office contracts with UPS and Fed Ex to provide so-called "last mile" delivery services. Huge swaths of this country are extremely rural and its simply not economically viable for the commercial delivery services to serve them, so they job it out to the USPS which is mandated by Congress to serve everyone. I know they are closing Post Offices, not eliminating mail delivery, but any widespread cutback in services can have a ripple effect.

I keep a bin right by the mail box into which goes EVERYTHING that doesn't arrive with First Class Postage on it. That fast, a quick scan of how important the sender considers their missive, and 95% of what gets delivered goes directly into recycling.

Of the other 5%... easily 95% of what comes in the envelope, along with what I occasionally do want to receive, then goes immediately into the bin as well.

Anything that isn't First Class Mail can easily be organized for of just shunted aside to make a once per week delivery. That would make my daily sorting to recycling exercise simpler too.

As to the actual and (mostly) wanted 1st Class Mail... I can't recall anything that I couldn't have waited a couple of more days to have been received without a problem.

Besides, if it absolutely, positively, has to be there overnight...

As to shuttering the surplus buildings...
these generally solid buildings and spaces should be re-purposed promptly.
---

I'm just glad that my former postal carrier grandfather (twice daily delivery in from the old East End station using BTC street cars) isn't around to see the changes.

Does anyone here use Netflix or any similar services? They are capable of running because of USPS. And I, personally, would be very sad to lose my quick and friendly deliveries of film 2-3 times a week. I also like knowing that my bill payments will always get in on time, even if I send them in last minute.

We don't pay anything for USPS employees - the Postal service runs on its on dime. The only way Congress gets involved is with the ratemaking process of setting standard rates for mail, etc...USPS pays for the benefits, salaries, etc.. out of their own pocket.

I wonder why the Maryland Line post office and the Freeland post office aren't on this list... they could easily be merged with Parkton for delivery services...

Sadly, it's only a matter of time before you get once a week delivery or have to go to the post office to pick up mail. It's a sad change of the times due to technology. Just like the weather line (936-1212) or the time line (844-1212), the post office is coming to the end of it's usefullness.

I would be happier to see USPS deliveries down to weekly, or even emd all home deliveries and require all patrons to pick up mail at central locations. Dealing with junk mail is a huge chore. 99% of what is delivered is junk, or should have been e-mailed.

USPS made a huge tactical error in not allowing patrons to opt out of junk mail. Now, many others like me would prefer to see this nuisance ended.

Not all junk mail is junky. I work for a cultural/educational organization that mails promotional pieces, catalogs, and magazines. I appreciate getting these from other organizations and some of the people we mail to feel the same about our stuff I'm sure.

Businesses still rely on USPS greatly, and since taxpayers don't contribute a dime to the service, I don't see why people are up in arms to cut USPS. Wouldn't that be big gov't stepping in?

No one has yet pointed out that PO Boxes can be useful.

This survey might simply be geographical and not yet take into account the relative merits of the facilities or locations themselves. For instance, I would find it hard to believe that the 21239 office is as desirable spacewise as the Hamilton, or even as the Waverly office, even if you practically need a GPS to find the latter...

For those of you defending the post office, let me point out a couple things. For some reason, we are all required to have an "address". This seems to be more of a benefit to those that wish to send us crap that we have to do something with that we are powerless to stop. Don’t give me that - take me off your mailing list- garbage because that requires that i have to proactively stop some entity from doing something to me i never asked for.

If you think that they are completely solvent, read this. That was the first thing that popped up on GIS.
http://www.businessinsider.com/post-office-bailout-2011-5
I am sure i can find more.

Its all wasted spending, just like vehicle emissions. It exists to only exist. If someone has to have something delivered on a specific day, they can pay to have it done. Keep in mind that the PO doesn’t guarantee a delivery date unless they up charge. So those of you saying you need it EVERY day are being disingenuous. The rest of us shouldn’t be burdened with this nuisance of a sales add delivery system just so you can regal us with your anecdotal stories of a letter you got from Aunt Ema. This is all aside from the environmental costs of all that paper that serves no other purpose than to fill our garbage cans.

Please DO shut down the Waverly 21218 post office. A grubby, run-down facility only reached by driving down narrow, pothole plentiful streets in a best-forgotten back corner of Waverly.

How come there's only one Automated Postal Center (APC) box in the entire city of Baltimore?

I'm ok with the post office, but i'm also ok with them closing 21223. It's a terrible branch. They aren't open much anyway, and the employees are often surly. 21201 isn't so bad. Eric, there are 2 APCs in the downtown branch (21201,) but I agree there should be a lot more.

Most people utilize their online banking services to receive and pay bills as with going directly to the business cites to carry out these tranactions. The mail carriers are making between $55 and $65K a year with a majority of the mail being junk. This just doesn't seem logical or efficient. Many businesses are also accepting more and more internet based coupons which means many companies will begin to reallocate these funds as with more consumers feeling more comfortable with doing online transactions.

Dear Councilpersons,

Today the U.S. Post Office announced, as the story ran in the NY Times (July 27, 2011) that is it considering closing between 4000 to 32,000 underperforming post offices in the country. It notes that most of these closures are in in rural areas. However, closer inspection shows that EIGHT post offices in Baltimore City are "on the chopping block" possibly, including my own neighborhood's, Waverly's. But take a look at the list below:

Post Offices they are considering closing include:

CARROLL BALTIMORE 21229
CLIFTON EAST END BALTIMORE 21213
DRUID BALTIMORE 21217
FRANKLIN BALTIMORE 21223
HAMILTON BALTIMORE 21214
MARKET CENTER BALTIMORE 21201
WALBROOK BALTIMORE 21216
WAVERLY BALTIMORE 21218

NOT ONE OF THESE - NOT ONE SINGLE ONE OF THESE IS IN A "WHITE" NEIGHBORHOOD!!! It's as if they said "Hey, this is a predominantly black neighborhood, pretty much devoid of public services, let's taken even more away. They won't say anything." NO WAY.

Look at this list again. If they close Waverly along with Hamilton and Clifton East that would mean there will be NO POST OFFICES in ALL of the NORTHEAST of the city (and yes, I know there are substations - we're talking full service post offices). None north of Fayette St. (the one by the jail) and east of Greenmount/Old York Rd. - Yes, the ENTIRE NORTH AND EAST of the city. I'm sorry but just who makes this stuff up.

Click on the link in the link here for the list and navigate to Maryland, then see the offices possibly to be closed:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/27/us/27postal.html?src=recg

Look, I realize that not all will close, but clearly this is a disproportionate application of force on some neighborhoods over others - spaces that are already bled of any services. The post office has to be run like a business but it IS a government service that we ALL pay for to have its services delivered - and not just mail, but being able to have FULL service access like "the rest" (read: White folk) of the City. Please put some boot to ass on this before it's a problem that can't be turned around.

Thank-you

Andrew Timleck
Better Waverly, Baltimore

Chris: The USPS is self-sufficient to the point where they are $15 BILLION in debt. Gotta sell a lot more stamps to erase that deficit. Glad you're not my accountant or handle my finances. Educate yourself my boy.

For all you stating that the USPS runs on it's own "dime," I've got news for you. They are $15 BILLION in the red. That would be called a "deficit" or "debt." That's a lot of missing dimes. And when you state they don't get any money from the taxpayer. Who buys stamps? Non-taxpayers. Who pays to send out ads. Taxpaying companies, etc. You are paying a "tax" to mail the letter. Fees, stamps, taxes, there's no difference at all. Truth is they are running on empty, chalking up huge deficits every year.

I'm amazed some other local holdouts like Perryman, which serve less than 300 households, and is completely surrounded by the Aberdeen Zip Code, has not made the list to be cut.

I understand the need to cut another day (or two) of service delivery, but why cut it on Saturday, when we already don't receive mail on Sunday. Why not cut like Wednesday service or some other random mid week day where I bet people would be far less noticing of the disruption.

The sages of p.o. admins. have already declared Still Pond, Kent County, 21667 a dead post office. Go to www.stillpondmd.com to see the building and learn how to save it. Closed as of 8/31/11 after a four month fight to save it. We cared, fought, attended meetings to no avail.

I have a friend who lives out of town. He sends me mail the old-fashioned way. What a pleasure to receive his letters written in cursive, with capital letters, punctuation and vowels. Wow. The Internet is probably the worst and best thing that's happened to us. Unfortunately, it's a big cause of the dumbing down of America. Mark my words, we'll all be speaking Mandarin some day.

Many, many people have internet businesses that depend on the post office. While you can order something over the Internet, a real person delivers it. Try taking a virtual pill or putting on virtual clothes. Not everybody has or even wants the Internet. I believe four days of delivery are plenty, but we still need the post office.

What happens when a post office branch closes? Does the zip code go away? I remember that Brooklandville was going to be merged into Lutherville-Timonium, but I don't know if all the old Brooklandville address had to use new zip codes. Since JHU is in 21218, as well as many other businesses, that's an awful lot of throwing away existing printed material to reprint with a new zip...

Hi, Jay -- turns out the "Annapolis DDU" location isn't a post office. The Postal Service says it's basically a warehouse for postal carriers. It's not open to the public.

Everything else in Maryland on the list is a post office, though.

I find the constant inefficiencies of the post office to be disturbing. I come from a generation of hand written, card sending people. Often, I have not received items like magazines, cards for the children with the standard "dollar or two" inside and other expected items.

More often than not, mail comes to me with "please deliver this to the right address" written on it and I have even had kind souls knock on my door with a package, wanting to get it to the right person. Yes, complaints are always made, but nothing ever changes. It's a sad testimony of how poorly ran the USPS is run today and I'm just one tiny cog in the wheel.

Oh, yes. Let's eliminate the post office completely so I can send birthday cards to people via FedEx. And so eBay and Etsy sellers can increase their shipping costs because they have to use non-postal services. Oh, and because ALL the people employed by the postal service don't really NEED those jobs.

As a resident of NE Baltimore, The Waverly Post Office is essential for my internet business to remain viable. For more than five years I have gone to this location once or twice a week to mail out merchandise. Like many of my neighbors, I do not own a car, so no other location is within a practical walking distance (even now, the Waverly Post Office is quite a walk for me). Plain and simple, I will be out of business (i.e. out of a job) if I do not have a post office to send my merchandise from.

While I am mindful of the USPS's budget problems, it makes more sense to me to cut out one weekday's delivery across all sites, than to gut an entire branch in an already underserved district.

Yes I have a computer, use it constantly (obviously) I'm here, right, however, I need and appreciate my local postal office! I also enjoy my catalogs! postcards from friends when they are traveling....and yes, the ocassional card or letter.

The Greater Walbrook post office is mine...everything else is going away in this desolate area....I guess the post office will too, but it's busy everytime I walk in it!

It's naive to think that everything that goes through the mail can be sent electronically.

The post office also ships packages, sells money orders, rents mailboxes, among other services. Some of these things cannot be done electronically.

There are plenty of things, like legal documents, that require a wet signature, not just an electroic click of a mouse.

Not to mention that email is no substitute for putting pen to paper and writing an actual letter to the people you care about. It takes a lot more thought and effort, and most recipients know/feel this.

Shooting off a mass email to all your friends is easy, and it comes across that way when you do it.

I don't see it as progress that we continue to rely more and more on technology (i.e. the internet) for everything we do. It makes it very easy for someone to mess with us, when all you'd have to do is interupt internet service and bring banking, mail, and all other services we take for granted to a screeching hault.

By the way, the Federal Hill post office branch is a real dump. I'd like to see branches consolidate and upgrade their facilities at the same time.

If the USPS closes both Tylerton and Ewell, that will leave Smith Island with no mail service whatsoever. The next nearest post office branch would be Crisfield, which is at least 40 minutes away by passenger ferry. It will be interesting to see how the islanders deal with this.

@Brittany - I had to respond to your comment about bills you pay arriving on time. I got my health insurance cancelled in March because even though I sent certified from Columbia to Owings Mills, it took almost a week to get there. Mailed 2/24 and did not arrive until 3/2. That is unacceptable given the reduced volume that the USPS has on a daily basis.

Reduce delivery days - there is no need for Saturday delivery. I think combining offices is a good move, but not to the extent that it removes an entire area of service.

And to Andrew, why does the race card always have to come into play? It's no wonder we can't get past racism in America when people want to automatically call it a black /white thing. I could go on about how many black people discriminate against whites, but what's the point?

Lastly, the USPS should have been proactive to keep up with technology instead of the typical reactive way that this country handles so many things. Now it's a little too late to the party.

The Waverly Post office serves 52,530 people the second highest in the city behind 21225 Arlington. The total population served for the eight offices slated for closure is about 275,000, substantially more people than live in Harford County (which doesn’t appear to be losing any of its 21). The average US Post Office serves just over 10,000 people so Waverly serves more than five times the average US Post Office. The average post office slated for closure in Baltimore serves 3.5 times the average US Post Office.

As a point of comparison, Rockville and Frederick, Maryland's 2nd and 3rd largest cities have just over 60,000 people each. Each of these small city has several post offices.