[nfbmi-talk] more info related to sd issues in detroit

[joe harcz Comcast]

September 6, 2010

 

Paul Joseph Harcz, Jr.

1365 E. Mt. Morris Rd.

Mt. Morris, MI 48458

joeharcz at comcast.net

Re: Request accessible letters ref: June 20, 2008 meeting      

 

To: Patrick D. Canon

Director Michigan Commission for the Blind

And State ADA Coordinator

Duncan Wyeth, DELEG ADA Coordinator

 

All:

 

I’m writing today to request in accessible format all of the letters related and referenced in this segment of the June 20, 2010 MCB meeting here:

“PUBLIC COMMENT

 

            Richard Clay, President, Advocates for the Blind, commented on serious issues that their organization has had with the Detroit office of the

Commission for the Blind, stating that these issues were raised with the Board in December and again in writing in February and that there has been no

Response.  Mr. Clay stated that the Commission chair has denied their request to be on the Commission agenda and has denied that any changes are needed

on phone policy, counselor changes, job placement policies or large territories that are covered by management.

 

           Mr. Cannon responded that although many of the ideas raised by Mr. Clay were worthwhile, adequate funding was not available to implement every

request initiated by his organization.  MCB did address all of Mr. Clay's concerns in a letter.  Members of the organization have been invited to participate

in various MCB committees and Director Levin has also offered to spend time speaking with this organization.

 

           Chair Pilarski stated that she received one letter, the request to be on the agenda had been received too late as the agenda had already been

set.  She also said that the board was not aware there were new organizations that had been formed.

“

 

Of course I’m making these requests relevant to provisions of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as Amended and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.

 

In addition these and other information related to the appeals of Advocates for the Blind denoted and documented sever service delivery issues especially acute in the Detroit area. The Commission, Commissioners and the Client Assistance Program were all at this meeting and these issues should have been address in our state plan, some real consumer satisfaction surveys and a thorough investigation, especially given the obligations of MCB under the Rehabilitation Act to take major efforts to serve minority populations.

 

The ramifications of malfeasance on behalf of many are straight forward.

 

Regardless I request these letters as either Word documents or plain text enclosures sent to my e-mail address listed above as this is my most effective form of receiving and reading printed information and as I am indeed blind

We all know the ADA and Rehabilitation Act requirements for delivering information in a timely and accessible manner to disabled members of the public don’t we?

 

Respectfully,

 

Paul Joseph Harcz, Jr.

 

Cc: DOJ

Cc: RSA

Cc: MCB Commissioners

Cc: CAP

Cc: NFB MI

Cc: MCBVI

Cc: Advocates for the Blind