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1. JayDee
   Member Profile

   I have sent the following e-mail to BECU after quizzing more than one earnest staffer about the closure of the Admiral branch, and soon the ATM. I wanted to share the e-mail with the WSB crowd because I think fellow members can influence their decisions by our collective whining. BECU may be a credit union, but they are our credit union.

   -

   "My real topic is loss of the Admiral Safeway branch and soon the ATM as well. One of the 2nd and Pine staffers gave great reasons why this location and ATM (soon) was leaving--all which seems reasonable.

   I would like to argue that BECU should at the least place an ATM in the Admiral/Junction neighborhood. Why? The staffer told me BECU looked at the map and decided that the Roxbury branch service center was close enough to my house, and that I would be equally served downtown or at Roxbury. I beg to differ--It is 6.5 miles to Roxbury, and 7.3 miles to downtown via roads--only a 20-minute detour.

   Sure, I can make a deposit at 7/11s but not with the degree of security that I can at a BECU branch with a BECU ATM or a stand-alone BECU ATM in a busy supermarket staffed by many people, not just a single clerk.

   Because West Seattle is reachable only readily by the West Seattle Bridge, it is not as easy to reach more distant ATMs than it is in Queen Anne. And while QA is nice, West Seattle contains a larger percentage of the city's population. With the recent closing of the Alki BECU ATM, it will be even more difficult for West Seattle BECU members to use BECU. I joined BECU last year, but that was before my local service center had been scheduled for closure.

   I would ask that BECU re-evaluate siting of a BECU branch in the Admiral/California area. If BECU is interested, post a message on the West Seattle Blog and ask for possible locations. Many who post on the WSB expressed displeasure with the decision to close the Safeway branch without a replacement option. These are fellow members who care.

   Sincerely, and thank you for your time"

   Posted 2 years ago #         

2. Diane
   Member Profile

   

   I will gladly sign this petition/letter; please BECU, keep the Admiral BECU atm

   Posted 2 years ago #         

3. JayDee
   Member Profile

   For those BECU members who care, I will post the reply from them when I get it. Otherwise, register your own concerns at:

   https://www.becu.org/contact-us.aspx

   I think that BECU will be more open to member's needs than B of A just because we are members, and not just customers. My local B of A branch treated me fine. I switched to BECU (a credit union, not a bank) because of B of A's corporate policies like the overdraft policy and calling my home from anonymous numbers to sell me unneeded services or "products". That being said, contacting BECU directly is the best thing, and they seem to value community input.

   Before ATMs, we went to banks in person, and wrote checks but that was 1980, and this is 2009. BECU's business model is on-line access and customer service at centers where the staff answer questions, and fill out paper work, and handle no money. Unfortunately, ATMs and on-line banking do not substitute for the more involved financial decisions one may need. I'd prefer a BECU ATM or financial center somewhere in my neighborhood regardless of my transit choices.

   My two cents.

   Posted 2 years ago #         

4. velo_nut
   Member Profile

   

   If you want to go in to a building, NWCU and WSECU (or any credit union in the co-op) handle transactions. If you HAVE to go to a BECU it's pretty darn close.

   Being a credit union, their thinking that transfering a center closer to your house wouldn't be financially viable makes me a happy BECU customer.

   I think they have gone out of their way to make deposits and transactions easy (and inexpensive) in the West Seattle neighborhood.

   Maybe you should switch to Chase, they have 5 buildings within the area...

   Posted 2 years ago #         

5. Kelly
   Member Profile

   

   Are they closing the ATM next to the Thriftway in Morgan Junction, too?

   6540 California Ave SW
   Seattle, WA 98136
   ATM
   Deposit-Taking
   Surcharge-Free
   24-Hour

   Posted 2 years ago #         

6. Johnson
   Member Profile

   I'll only sign it if you add they should put an ATM right outside my back door and pay me a gazillion dollars for the privilege.

   See, I can be a whiny Seattlite too

   Oh, & I demand they remove the snow from my sidewalk, too, even tho there isn't any

   (Would they just please leave BECU & join up w/ someone like Chase so they know how bad banks can really be? Not that they will learn, just whine about something else for a change)

   Posted 2 years ago #         

7. velo_nut
   Member Profile

   

   Thank you Kelly and Johnson!

   I thought I was the only one on this thread with common sense.

   Posted 2 years ago #         

8. bluebird
   Member Profile

   Yeah, the Morgan Junction ATM was already covered. It's not close enough to please them either.

   http://westseattleblog.com/blog/forum/topic.php?id=7357

   Posted 2 years ago #         

9. JanS
   Member Profile

   

   I sympathize with some people whose banks/CUs are not convenient, when one doesn't have a car, and has to take mebbe 2 buses to go talk to a human, in person. For deposits, my ATM doesn't always take my checks, as they come from insurance companies, are odd sized, no envelopes now @ B of A. So I can sympathize. Many people pick banks, docs, other services that are convenient to their homes. So let's not be too judgmental about these folks...not our place.

   Now, if one works downtown, that's another story. Then one is in close contact to many financial institutions, and it should be no problem.

   Posted 2 years ago #         

10. JoB
    Member Profile

    would those who live in admiral and alki be willing to pay a surcharge to use convenient machines?

    Posted 2 years ago #         

11. nw_original
    Member Profile

    BECU has been a pleasure, especially since I switched from Chase.

    I think someone mentioned it previously that you can use the Citibank ATM machine located in 7-11 on Admiral to withdraw cash surcharge free and also make deposits.

    Posted 2 years ago #         

12. Kelly
    Member Profile

    

    I don't know if I have the common sense that you're looking for, velo_nut. In the interest of full-disclosure, I am an overweight, chain-smoking, thin-skinned World of Warcraft player, who loves to drive the car to my weekly sensitivity trainings while blasting Culture Club at obscene decibels.

    Posted 2 years ago #         

13. velo_nut
    Member Profile

    

    We all have our weaknesses.

    Posted 2 years ago #         

14. JanS
    Member Profile

    

    so what are yours, velo-nut?

    Posted 2 years ago #         

15. velo_nut
    Member Profile

    

    Pabst Blue Ribbon.

    Posted 2 years ago #         

16. JoB
    Member Profile

    velo_nut
    Pabst?
    all of the calories
    and none of the taste..
    you need to get out more
    try a local brewery...

    Posted 2 years ago #         

17. velo_nut
    Member Profile

    

    I'm a simple man. I like PBR, what can I say?

    That and I burned more calories last weekend then most people do in a month. I have a hard time keeping weight on.

    Posted 2 years ago #         

18. nw_original
    Member Profile

    Also PBR is abundant and cheap.

    Good for you velo_nut for keeping it simple.

    Posted 2 years ago #         

19. velo_nut
    Member Profile

    

    I'm so simple that I speak in binary. It's crazy.

    Posted 2 years ago #         

20. Kelly
    Member Profile

    

    I also cannot stand the sight, smell, taste, or foaminess of PBR. Shudder.

    Posted 2 years ago #         

21. JoB
    Member Profile

    velo_nut..

    i get it..

    you sit behind your mountain of expended calories consuming endlessly and taking potshots at those of us whose guilt pursues us after one bite.

    Pabst Blue Ribbon is not the beer of choice for those who make sure every calorie counts.

    When i indulge.. i make sure i get maximum value for my calories:)

    Posted 2 years ago #         

22. Cait
    Member Profile

    

    I've never had PBR but for cheap beer, people really seem to love it.

    Jo, I'm thinking that if velo is anything like his picture he's probably burning off those calories and more lol. I guess if you have it in the calorie budget for some PBR, do yo thang, Velo. I tend to go for the baked goods myself.

    Posted 2 years ago #         

23. KBear
    Member Profile

    "Pabst Blue Ribbon is not the beer of choice for those who make sure every calorie counts."

    ...unless you happen to be drinking with Frank Booth...

    Posted 2 years ago #         

24. Hoff-animal
    Member Profile

    

    Me thinks Velo likes to get a rise out of a certain subset of bloggers and me thinks he is having success.

    Posted 2 years ago #         

25. Kelly
    Member Profile

    

    Me thinks what some bloggers write is purely tongue-in-cheek. Interesting take, though.

    Posted 2 years ago #         

26. Hoff-animal
    Member Profile

    

    Hmm, more subtle than your World of Warcraft post, perhaps.

    Posted 2 years ago #         

27. Kelly
    Member Profile

    

    :) Perhaps. Subtlety is also not a strength of mine . . .

    Posted 2 years ago #         

28. JoB
    Member Profile

    Hoff-animal

    avatar disturbing
    worried that posts might get a rise out of you :(

    Posted 2 years ago #         

29. Hoff-animal
    Member Profile

    

    the dots are being connected.

    Posted 2 years ago #         

30. KBear
    Member Profile

    ...or maybe he's just happy to see you...

    http://blog.seattlepi.com/insidebelltown/archives/189984.asp

    Posted 2 years ago #         

31. velo_nut
    Member Profile

    

    That is me in the avatar from the Kirkland Criterium last year.

    Keep it in your pants, Hoff.

    The more people that get riled up over what I write, the better I feel. It's the internet... stop being so serious. The more serious you are, the more you look like Al Gore.

    :shudder:

    Posted 2 years ago #         

32. Kelly
    Member Profile

    

    Ahem. I take the internet VERY seriously, because, you see, I invented it.

    Posted 2 years ago #         

33. JanS
    Member Profile

    

    for the record, we are not bloggers, we're commentors (sp). TR, et.al., are the bloggers :)

    Posted 2 years ago #         

34. JanS
    Member Profile

    

    Kelly.....so you did this to us?

    Posted 2 years ago #         

35. velo_nut
    Member Profile

    

    Some of us are bloggers... Like, for serious, yo.

    Posted 2 years ago #         

36. JanS
    Member Profile

    

    oh, well, by all means, you do have a blog, but you're not blogging on here ;-) Mea Culpa

    Posted 2 years ago #         

37. velo_nut
    Member Profile

    

    If I started blogging on here you would all be bored stiff.

    Posted 2 years ago #         

38. JanS
    Member Profile

    

    you blog on this site? I doubt that will happen, as it's not your site to do with as you will, and we are all the luckier for that :)

    Posted 2 years ago #         

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