[nfbmi-talk] yet another foia request

Thu Apr 29 02:05:30 UTC 2010

I understand the Constitution of the United States gives people the right to free speech. However, the guidelines of this email list are as follows: 

We encourage open communication and free-flowing ideas. And, although opposing viewpoints are welcome, flaming and bashing are not. 

It is possible that I am wrong here, but I believe that the numerous and continuous postings that are not directly related to matters of the National Federation of the Blind as well as the following post would be considered flaming. As a result, I would greatly appreciate if the moderators of this list could take some form of action to prevent such flaming on the list from occurring as set forth in the guidelines for the list. I believe that everyone should be able to enjoy the list without receiving these kinds of messages.

Thanks,
Elizabeth

[nfbmi-talk] Sky Dive Event
joe harcz Comcast joeharcz at comcast.net 
Thu Apr 15 23:46:45 CDT 2010

Excuse me and just who are you and who are you coming from? 

You wouldn't be Pat Cannon engaging in overt sexual harassment on this list  serve would you? I mean even you Pat Cannon wouldn't stoop that far in a  public capacity would you? I think another FOIA request is in order here don't you?

Of course Patrick Cannon, known to be a public employee of the great state  of Michigan would not stoop so low as we think here would he?

Oh, and by the way what the heck is under your skirt Pat Cannon, official  Director of the Michigan Commission for the Blind?

I'm not afraid of  signing my name you bastard.

My name is "JoE hARCZ    .

> From: joeharcz at comcast.net
> To: nfbmi-talk at nfbnet.org
> Date: Wed, 28 Apr 2010 07:34:37 -0400
> Subject: Re: [nfbmi-talk] yet another foia request
> 
> 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
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > nfbmi-talk mailing list
> > nfbmi-talk at nfbnet.org
> > http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfbmi-talk_nfbnet.org
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> 
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