[nfbmi-talk] request for reasonable accommodations mcb meeting

Marcus Simmons MarcusSimmons at comcast.net
Tue Aug 24 13:35:50 UTC 2010


Go for it, Joe!
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "joe harcz Comcast" <joeharcz at comcast.net>
To: "Patrick Cannon MCB Director" <cannonp at MICHIGAN.GOV>
Cc: "Luzenski, Sue (DLEG)" <LuzenskiS at michigan.gov>; "Margaret Wolfe 
MCB,Commissioner" <margwolfe at usa.net>; "John L Wodatch USDOJ" 
<John.l.wodatch at usdoj.gov>; "Jo Anne Pilarski MCB, Chair" 
<pilarskij at CHARTER.NET>; "John Scott MCB, Commissioner" 
<jcscot at sbcglobal.net>; <Craig.McManus at ed.gov>; "Lynnae Ruttledge RSA 
Commissioner" <lynnae.ruttledge at ed.gov>; "TOM MASSEAU MPAS" 
<TMASSEA at mpas.org>; "Joe Sibley MCBVI Pres." <Joe.sibley1 at sbcglobal.net>; 
"Richard Clay Advocates f/t Blind" <savingoursonsrc at yahoo.com>; "Geri. 
Taeckens MCB, Commissioner" <geri.taeckens at isahealthfund.org>
Sent: Tuesday, August 24, 2010 9:14 AM
Subject: [nfbmi-talk] request for reasonable accommodations mcb meeting


August 24, 2010



Re: Request for accommodations Michigan Commission for the Blind meeting



Paul Joseph Harcz, Jr.

1365 E. Mt. Morris Rd.

Mt. Morris, MI 48458

E-mail: joeharcz at comcast.net



Patrick D. Cannon, Director Michigan Commission for the Blind

And State of Michigan ADA Coordinator

Via E-mail



Dear Mr. Cannon,



I am writing today as a blind person to make a request for reasonable 
accommodations at the upcoming MCB quarterly meeting on Friday, August 27, 
2010. Specifically I am requesting that all materials to be voted upon or 
referenced by the MCB at these meetings are remitted in accessible formats 
both at the meeting and prior to it. At a minimum I am requesting the 
following in contracted Braille at the meeting:



-The agenda

-all written reports submitted to the commissioners including, but not 
limited to, the Administrative report and any associated documents, the 
Consumer services report, the written Training Center Report, and the 
Director’s Report

-the complete college policy as it will be presented and voted upon at the 
meeting



In addition I am requesting these items prior to the meeting as simple 
e-mail attachments sent to my e-mail address listed above. This should not 
be difficult as you might simply send me those documents which have already 
been furnished in that format to a number of commissioners already as 
provided in their By Laws.



I make these requests pursuant to the effective communications requirements 
of Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (subpart e), and the 
“auxiliary aids and services” requirements of Section 504 of the 
Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended. Moreover, I invoke the obligation to 
be accessible in these regards pursuant to your obligations in both of these 
laws vis a vis accessible meetings. And, of course MCB has obligations to 
make its meetings (and information related to them) accessible under Title 
II of the Rehabilitation Act which is the very act that created MCB and 
requires at a minimum quarterly meetings in the first place.



I have omitted statutory and regulatory citations here as you are required 
to  be intimate  with them by your very positions as State ADA coordinator 
and Director of MCB -- or at least the knowledge of, and compliance with 
these laws are part of your very job description and known obligations.



Regardless, as you know the Americans with Disabilities Act has just turned 
twenty years old on July 26. As you, Mr. Cannon is fond of quoting former 
President Bush who signed this civil rights law into being: “Let the 
shameful walls of discrimination come tumbling down.”



Regardless, a failure to comply, or to respond affirmatively will result in 
either further complaints with appropriate entities of enforcement, or with 
a civil action in United States District Court.



So I advise you to simply do the right thing here for once.



Respectfully,



Paul Joseph Harcz, Jr.



Cc: MCB Commissioners

Cc: President National Federation of the Blind of Michigan

Cc: President Michigan Council of the Blind of Michigan

Cc: Advocates for the Blind

Cc: Advocates for the Blind

Cc: United States Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, Disability 
Rights Section

Cc: Office of Civil Rights, United States Dept. of Ed.

Cc: Rehabilitation Services Administration

Cc: Michigan Protection and Advocacy Services, Inc.


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