[nfbmi-talk] yet another foia request

Wed Apr 28 11:34:37 UTC 2010

I did send this to the FOIA coordinator. And am making this public as public 
records should be. I'll try to be nice about this Elizabeth. We have the 
right to know in this country. There are no exclusions for blind folks.

Moreover I worked, in the real world of journalism for nearly twenty years 
and the activities of public bodies and public servants are just that, 
public! This particular agency and this particular public official have 
acted in secret for far too long against all principles of open, transparent 
and accountable government.

By the way this also goes to college policy. Have you not noticed that the 
same things keep popping up over and over again? I saw basically the same 
college policy that you have been bitten with several years back while I was 
on the CIC. That CIC by the way and none of your input is valued in the 
least as noted in those very minutes. And if you are not informed about the 
extreme implications of MCB's funding issues then one day there just might 
not be money to send blind folks to college under any conditions or 
scenarios. It sure has happened a whole lot in other states, especially for 
graduate programs.

As far as so-called personal attack goes. There is no such thing for public 
officials as parody and satire are protected expression under the First 
Amendment of the United States and several U.S. Supreme Court 
determinations.

now, this will be my last word on this issue as I have better things to do. 
However, be assured that my First Amendment rights are not chilled in the 
least here and nor is my quest to shed some sunshine upon the workings of 
MCB which, does impact the lives of blind people statewide.

I wish you a pleasant day and all the best in advocacy.

Joe
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Elizabeth" <lizmohnke at hotmail.com>
To: <nfbmi-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Tuesday, April 27, 2010 11:59 PM
Subject: Re: [nfbmi-talk] yet another foia request

Hello Joe,

I am not able to fulfill your freedom of information request because I 
simply do not have the information you have requested. I am simply an 
average blind citizen living in the state of Michigan. However, if you send 
this information to the Freedom of Information Coordinators, I am sure they 
will be able to fulfill your request.

This is an email list for the National Federation of the Blind of Michigan, 
and is intended to discuss matters related to our organization. It should 
not be simply a dumping ground for those who wish to air their grievances 
regarding the Michigan Commission for the Blind. I ask that you keep this in 
mind when posting to the list, as I do not wish to receive a copy of every 
freedom of information request you send to the Michigan Commission for the 
Blind.

Thanks,
Elizabeth

> From: joeharcz at comcast.net
> To: nfbmi-talk at nfbnet.org
> Date: Tue, 27 Apr 2010 22:52:00 -0400
> Subject: [nfbmi-talk] yet another foia request
>
> Re: FOIA Request June 20, 2008 Recording MCB Quarterly Meeting
>
> April 27, 2010
>
>
>
> Paul Joseph Harcz, Jr.
>
> 1365 E. Mt. Morris Rd.
>
> Mt. Morris, MI 48458
>
> E-mail: joeharcz at comcast.net
>
>
>
> Melvin Farmer, DELEG, FOIA Coordinator
>
> E-mail: farmerc at michigan.gov
>
>
>
> Carla Haynes, MCB, FOIA
>
> E-mail: haynesc at michigan.gov
>
>
>
> Dear Mr. Farmer and Ms. Haynes:
>
>
>
> I am writing you today to request the audio recording of the June 20, 2008 
> meeting of the Michigan Commission for the Blind pursuant to the Michigan 
> Freedom of Information Act referenced in this quotation:
>
>
>
> “ Mike Ellis advised Commissioners that there had not been audio streaming 
> because there was equipment failure. The Commission will have audio that
>
> has been captured.”
>
>
>
>
>
> I am requesting this without any fee pursuant to past actions and 
> identification on either a flashcard or CD (the latter of which has been 
> sent to me in the past and is satisfactory).
>
>
>
> It may simply be mailed as in the past to my e-mail address listed above.
>
>
>
> I do wonder aloud here about one thing however: Why aren’t these 
> recordings simply archived on MCB’s web site which certainly would be in 
> the public interest? I am puzzled by this as also in this same meeting 
> minutes in the discussion of the MCB Action plan this was referenced 
> directly. I quote from the minutes here on the matter:
>
>
>
> “3.4 Enhance the MCB website including adding audio files of agency 
> brochures, videos and archived quarterly Commission meetings.
>
> Status: Future meetings will be archived when the space becomes available 
> through DMB. Three of MCB's brochures are currently available on line.”
>
>
>
> I certainly would consider it to be compliant with this request if MCB 
> simply would put these archived recordings in accessible manner on their 
> own web site as suggested over and over again including the above 
> reference which is almost two years old.
>
>
>
> It appears that we have some issues with timely delivery and availability 
> of public information. The state web sites could well be used to deliver 
> timely, material like this in the spirit of transparency, open governance 
> and accountability. Governor Grandholm has often discussed transparency 
> including efforts in that regard recently on her web site. I would 
> appreciate it if DELEG and MCB also was more forthcoming and acted more 
> affirmatively in these regards. It certainly would, among other things 
> ensure that I, and others would not be so burdened with making FOIA 
> requests. And, for that matter you and the staff at DELEG would likewise 
> not have to be so burdened with these issues as well.
>
>
>
> I offer the latter observations in the spirit of cooperation and positive 
> input from a citizen of this state who just happens to be blind.
>
>
>
> Very Truly Yours,
>
>
>
> Paul Joseph Harcz, Jr.
>
>
>
> Cc: Commissioners Michigan Commission for the Blind
>
> Cc: National Federation of the Blind of Michigan
>
> Cc: Michigan Council of the Blind and Visually Impaired
>
> Cc: Michigan Protection and Advocacy Services, Inc.
>
> Cc: Michael Cox, Michigan Attorney General
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
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