[nfbmi-talk] Fw: foia on oma and mcb

Tue May 25 22:58:23 UTC 2010

----- Original Message ----- 
From: joe harcz Comcast 
To: Farmer, Mel (DELEG) 
Sent: Tuesday, May 25, 2010 6:56 PM
Subject: Re: foia on oma and mcb 

May 25, 2010

Dear Mr. Farmer:

Ok, now all you have to do is listen to the recording as I have to denote the records referenced as they were not in the draft minutes, or you can refer to my partial transcripts which I did for you, free of charge!

As an aside I sure wished I had the pay you all try to charge for this stuff and searches, especially when I point out to you exactly where they are.

I would think that an agency such as yours would wish for the maximum extent of transparency in the public interest, and would wish for the maximum extent of accountability of public servants who are under fire in this state

It seems to me sir that the type of obfuscation and obstruction that has been going on related to public documents here can only help but make the average taxpayer very cynical and suspicious about the operations of this state; and in this instance DELEG, MRS, and MCB respectively.

It is extraordinary to me that there are now concurrent violations of FOIA stacked upon violations of the Open Meetings Act and then stacked further with more violations and obfuscations of FOIA.

But, for sure it is in the public interest to expose this Kafkaesque house of cards for what it is.

Respectfully,

Paul Joseph Harcz, Jr.
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Farmer, Mel (DELEG) 
  To: joe harcz Comcast 
  Cc: Cannon, Patrick (DELEG) ; Haynes, Carla (DELEG) ; Luzenski, Sue (DELEG) ; Turney, Susan (DELEG) ; Schmidt, Barbara (AG) 
  Sent: Tuesday, May 25, 2010 5:12 PM
  Subject: FW: foia on oma and mcb 

  Mr. Paul Joseph Harcz:

  This notice is in response to your email (attached) received May 18, 2010 requesting records under the state's Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), MCL 15.231 et seq., you describe as regarding the MCB Special Session Meeting of May 3, 2010; response from Barbara Schmidt referenced in circulated draft minutes; and memorandums of April 22, 2010 and December 8, 2008 from Barbara Schmidt to the MCB board.  

  Please be informed that in order to determine the existence of any nonexempt records/information within the Department that might be responsive to your FOIA request, a search must be undertaken. For this reason, it is necessary to extend the time for response, as permitted by MCL 15.235, Section 5(2)(d) of the FOIA, through June 9, 2010.

  Melvin Farmer, Jr.

  Central FOIA Coordinator.-

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  From: joe harcz Comcast [mailto:joeharcz at comcast.net] 
  Sent: Tuesday, May 18, 2010 7:29 PM
  To: Farmer, Mel (DELEG)
  Cc: Haynes, Carla (DELEG); president.nfb.mi at gmail.com; nfbmi-talk at nfbnet.org; Joe Sibley MCBVI Pres.; TOM MASSEAU MPAS; miadaptleaders at yahoogroups.com; Richard Clay; Cox, Mike (AG); Geri. Taecken; margwolf at usa.net; Jo Anne Pilarski; Dave Bulkowski; Jim Magyar AA CIL; Mike Zelley TDN; Craig.McManus at ed.gov
  Subject: foia on oma and mcb 

  May 18, 2010

  FOIA FOIA FOIA

  Paul Joseph Harcz, Jr.

  1365 E. Mt. Morris Rd.

  Mt. Morris, MI 48458

  E-mail: joeharcz at comcast.net

  Carla Haynes, Michigan Commission for the Blind, FOIA

  haynesc at michigan.gov

  Melvin Farmer, Department of Energy, Labor, and Economic Growth (DELEG) FOIa

  Dear Ms. Hanes and Mr. Farmer,

  I am writing you today to request under the Michigan Freedom of Information Act documents under that act that are not in the least privileged.

  They are the series of questions referenced in the recording of the MCB Special Session Meeting of May 3, 2010 sent by the board and Chair Pilarski to the Michigan Attorney General's Office (specifically to Barbara Schmidt at that office) relative to the role and responsibilities of the MCB Board and reasons for holding a closed session of MCB Board meetings including the very  one on May 3, 2010..

  Moreover, I am requesting the response from Ms. Schmidt referenced in the recording and draft minutes that was circulated to all commissioners except for new pending appointee John Scott.

  Moreover, in the recording Commissioner Margaret Wolf 

   In her motion to hold a close session specifically sited memoranda to the MCB Board of April 22, 2010 and December 8, 2008 from Barbara Schmidt to the MCB Board in these regards as well. So I'm requesting these correspondences.

  I am requesting the e-mails to and from these parties acting in their official capacity. They should not be difficult to locate for each and every one of them were indeed sent via e-mail to Patrick D. Cannon and are on his computer in the Victor Office Building. Moreover, they are undoubtably on Ms. Schmidt's computer as well as the computers of MCB Chair Pilarski, Michael Geno, Geraldine Taekins, and Margaret Wolf as all said they had these with their handouts at the meeting at issue and that was very clear on the recording.

  Since it will cost absolutely nothing to locate these documents and to send them to me via my e-mail listed above I expect no fee to conduct a search or any         stonewalling on this issue either.

  Sincerely,

  Paul Joseph Harcz, Jr.

  Cc: National Federation of the Blind of Michigan

  Cc: Advocates for the Blind

  Cc: Michigan Council of the Blind and Visually Impaired

  Cc: Michael Cox, Attorney General State of Michigan

  Cc: United States Department of Education, Rehabilitation Services Administration

  Cc: Michigan Protection and Advocacy Services

  Cc: Michigan Statewide Independent Living Council

  Cc: Michigan ADAPT

  Cc: Several Directors Centers for Independent Living

  Cc: Members Michigan Rehabilitation Council

  Cc: Several Attorneys At Law (Not working for the state of Michigan)