[nfbmi-talk] Questions About MCB Board Correspondence

Tue Aug 31 02:04:50 UTC 2010

Hi Elizabeth,

Any document sent to a public official including MCB commissioners is a 
public document undr the FOIA. tom Quasarano made that clear at the training 
on OMA and FOIA  that larry and I popped in on.

Also look at the FOIA in the beginning where it defines a FOIA document. It 
is expansive and covers e-mail and even recordings and photos. Moreover, it 
becomes a document the moment it is generated and that includes being sent 
or recieved.

Anything you, or I for that matter sends to any single commissioner or all 
of them is a FOIA document.

Hope this helps.

Joe
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Elizabeth" <lizmohnke at hotmail.com>
To: "NFB Michigan" <nfbmi-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Monday, August 30, 2010 9:45 PM
Subject: Re: [nfbmi-talk] Questions About MCB Board Correspondence

>
> Yes, well if one of them responded to the email, then I would believe that 
> they received it as it is rather difficult to respond to and email that 
> you do not receive. I am just wondering what might be the best way of 
> correcting this situation, or even if it is possible to correct this 
> situation as I do not believe this should be occurring.
>
> Elizabeth
>
> > From: f.wurtzel at comcast.net
>> To: nfbmi-talk at nfbnet.org
>> Date: Mon, 30 Aug 2010 21:31:22 -0400
>> Subject: Re: [nfbmi-talk] Questions About MCB Board Correspondence
>>
>> Hi,
>>
>> Excellent point. My advice is to check with Jo Ann or Geri or Mike to see
>> if they received your correspondence. That would confirm your suspicions.
>>
>> Warmest Regards,
>>
>> Fred
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: nfbmi-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org 
>> [mailto:nfbmi-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org]
>> On Behalf Of Elizabeth
>> Sent: Monday, August 30, 2010 9:17 PM
>> To: NFB Michigan
>> Subject: Re: [nfbmi-talk] Questions About MCB Board Correspondence
>>
>>
>>
>> Hello Christine,
>>
>> It is this checks and balances thing that has me a bit concerned. I 
>> noticed
>> that during the Commission meeting that they acknowledged the email that 
>> was
>> sent as part of the college policy committee including Pat Cannon as 
>> Board
>> correspondence. However, none of the other emails that were exchanged as
>> part of this committee were designated as Board correspondence, nor was 
>> the
>> official Board correspondence that I sent strictly to the Commission 
>> Board.
>>
>> I found it rather odd that the Board was willing to acknowledge an email 
>> I
>> sent just a few short days prior to the meeting, and yet at the same time
>> they failed to acknowledge and email I sent just a few days after the 
>> March
>> meeting. Then it dawned on me as to why this may have taken place. It 
>> seems
>> to me that when I send Board correspondence strictly to the Board then it 
>> is
>> not recognized at the meeting. However, if Pat Cannon is included as a
>> recipient of the correspondence, then it is recognized at the meeting. I
>> believe this observation could serve as evidence that Pat Cannon is
>> undermining the integrity of the Commission Board.
>>
>> Elizabeth
>>
>> > From: Christine_Boone at comcast.net
>> > To: nfbmi-talk at nfbnet.org
>> > Date: Mon, 30 Aug 2010 20:28:48 -0400
>> > Subject: Re: [nfbmi-talk] Questions About MCB Board Correspondence
>> >
>> > Elizabeth,
>> > Board correspondence is most certainly public record.
>> > It should be kept on file in a dedicated filing cabinet (accessible by 
>> > the
>> > Board Chair, other Board members and the Agency staff person who serves 
>> > as
>> > support staff for the Board.
>> > Note, the staff support person for the Board of Commissioners should 
>> > most
>> > certainly Not be the same staff person who acts as executive assistant 
>> > to
>> > the director. This situation effectively overshadows any checks and
>> > balances that are presumed to be put in place by the Board of
>> Commissioners
>> > who are supposed to monitor and evaluate the performance of the 
>> > Director.
>> >
>> > After 3 years, the Board's files can be put into more permanent storage 
>> > if
>> > necessary for space concerns. However, it is best if they can continue 
>> > to
>> > be accessible for a full 7 years, which is the period required by state
>> law
>> > for the maintenance of state files.
>> >
>> > This is general information that is consistent with sound business
>> practice.
>> > I am sure that there is some more precise information contained in 
>> > state
>> > administrative statutes somewhere. It is just that my poor old computer 
>> > is
>> > having a very hard time managing the big wide world of the internet
>> lately,
>> > so this is the best I can do for now.
>> >
>> > Christine
>> > From: nfbmi-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org 
>> > [mailto:nfbmi-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org]
>> > On Behalf Of Elizabeth
>> > Sent: Sunday, August 29, 2010 10:41 AM
>> > To: NFB Michigan
>> > Subject: [nfbmi-talk] Questions About MCB Board Correspondence
>> >
>> >
>> > Hello List,
>> >
>> > Does anyone know what rules, regulations, or laws speak on the issue 
>> > about
>> > the Board correspondence that is acknowledged during the Commission 
>> > Board
>> > meeting, or where I might be able to find such rules, regulations, and
>> laws
>> > regarding Board correspondence? I have noticed something interesting
>> > regarding Board correspondence, and I would like to know what any 
>> > rules,
>> > regulations, or laws have to say about this issue.
>> >
>> > Also, does anyone know if Board correspondence is public record and 
>> > could
>> be
>> > obtained through a Freedom of Information request? If Board 
>> > correspondence
>> > is a matter of public record, then it is possible that I might be
>> interested
>> > in obtaining copies of this correspondence as it was sent to the
>> Commission
>> > Board. I do not wish to share my observations publicly at this point in
>> > time, but I am interested to know what others have to say on this 
>> > matter.
>> >
>> > Thanks,
>> > Elizabeth
>> >
>> > _______________________________________________
>> > nfbmi-talk mailing list
>> > nfbmi-talk at nfbnet.org
>> > http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfbmi-talk_nfbnet.org
>> > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>> > nfbmi-talk:
>> >
>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nfbmi-talk_nfbnet.org/christine_boone%
>> > 40comcast.net
>> >
>> >
>> > _______________________________________________
>> > nfbmi-talk mailing list
>> > nfbmi-talk at nfbnet.org
>> > http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfbmi-talk_nfbnet.org
>> > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>> nfbmi-talk:
>> >
>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nfbmi-talk_nfbnet.org/lizmohnke%40hotm
>> ail.com
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> nfbmi-talk mailing list
>> nfbmi-talk at nfbnet.org
>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfbmi-talk_nfbnet.org
>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>> nfbmi-talk:
>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nfbmi-talk_nfbnet.org/f.wurtzel%40comc
>> ast.net
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> nfbmi-talk mailing list
>> nfbmi-talk at nfbnet.org
>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfbmi-talk_nfbnet.org
>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for 
>> nfbmi-talk:
>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nfbmi-talk_nfbnet.org/lizmohnke%40hotmail.com
>
> _______________________________________________
> nfbmi-talk mailing list
> nfbmi-talk at nfbnet.org
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfbmi-talk_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for 
> nfbmi-talk:
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nfbmi-talk_nfbnet.org/joeharcz%40comcast.net 