Document text
Bank closure irritates residents By DAMIAN MANN Washington Mutual's recent decision to close a Western Bank branch at the Rogue Valley Manor has left some senior citizens feeling down and out. "For me it will be a major inconvenience," said 75-year-old manor-resident Sutton Titus. "Seniors don't like change. And this has been the second change in the past few years." Titus, who opened an account at the branch more than four years ago, said the bank has undergone several changes over the years. It was once a First Interstate, then a Wells Fargo and finally a Western Bank, bank chain now owned by Washington Mutual. As part of a corporate move to consolidate its community and business banking, Washington Mutual will close the branch Sept. 28, but will offer to automatically shift accounts to its south Medford branch, about a mile away. For seniors, the decision is worrisome. "Some use wheelchairs, some use walkers," said Titus. "They can't physically get down to that other branch." Seniors also have the option of shifting their accounts to the U.S. Bank branch, which has operated at the manor for 17 years. Apart from the hassle of changing accounts, 83-year-old Homer Shaw said seniors are often cautious about banking. "You don't want to keep all your eggs in one basket," he said. "I was a (Great) Depression kid. You were trained to be frugal." Shaw said he could conceivably drive to the other location, but worries that he will have to give up his driver license in a few years because of his age. "It's just a fact of life," he said. "A lot of us are getting along in years and we are finding it hard to get around. Some of us can't drive." Shaw thinks the manor branch is a profitable one. "To close out this branch is very foolish because they are going to lose a lot of accounts and a lot of future accounts." Manor spokesperson Kara Peccia said, "We are disappointed that they made the decision to leave." Apart from the inconvenience, she said some of the 900 residents would find it a physical hardship to leave the campus to do their banking. The closing of the branch will also be an inconvenience for some of 500 staff members who use it, she said. But the Manor expects to have another bank lined up within the next 60 to 90 days to fill Western Bank's absence, Peccia said. "A lot of our staff members and our residents will transfer." Alan Gulick, spokesperson for Washington Mutual, said the decision to close the branch wasn't based on profitability. Instead, it is part of the bank's long-range consolidation efforts that will combine community service banks and business banks. "It just makes sense to combine our strengths," he said. Washington Mutual also is trying to consolidate branches based on location and proximity, said Gulick. By the end of the year, banks owned by Washington Mutual, including the 45 Western Banks, all will be called Washington Mutual, said Gulick. Gulick hopes the bank won't lose customers and said it will do everything to make the change to the new branch as painless as possible. "We will automatically transfer to I-5 south with no cost to them," he said. "For most customers, no action will be required on their part." Gulick said he couldn't disclose how many customers were served by the manor branch. Reach reporter Damian Mann at 776-4476, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.