[nfbmi-talk] Jo Ann Pilarski Resignation

[joe harcz Comcast]

Dear Fred,

I hold no personal anomosity towards Pilarski. But, I totally disagree in 
regards to competence and pperformance. For she stated once again only a few 
weeks ago that she really didn't know what a state plan was for more than 
eight years after being the chair. She actually has been in office longer 
than the two three year terms denoted in the Rehab Act that she apparently 
has not read in spite of me personally sending it to her. (By the way the 
general rehab agency in Massachusetts got cited for the same issue in their 
2009 monitoring report).

Pilarski has ignored for years the severe violations of the rehab act, the 
ADA and section 504.

And the worst thing is she allowed the perception and the accomplished deed 
to be that the "chair" was the commission. And she let cannon run affairs 
from writing his own "report card" to setting meeting agendas.

Moreover Pilarski ignored the pleas of consumers over years to clean things 
up. She ignored the protests of advocates for the blind who had to go to the 
streets to point out insane service delivery in Detroit. In fact she caved 
into or was a direct part in the "bullet proof" drape paranoia in that 
regard.

She allowed Cannon to run rough shod over personnell and not only Dave and 
Christine over trumped up garbage but over many others in the past including 
John McMahan, Bob Arnold, and many others who slowly simply burned out under 
his reign of terror internal to the daily operations of MCB. That includes 
excellent and caring staff and administrators like Toni VanStabern, Bernie 
Kramer, the aforementioned McMahan (now running the blindnessagency in Maine 
by the way) and countless BEP operators that we all know about from Fellows 
to Brooks and back again.

She signed off on the 2004 single audit as if again she were the commission 
and other documents in the past as well, again, including state plan 
updates.

These are facts and there are more. They aren't a matter of conjecture but 
purely objective reality about a public official.

Now, I certainly agree with you on some other past and potential future 
commissioners here Fred.

And much goes to commissioner orientation.

I think that at a minimum commissioners should go through the SRC modules on 
the RSA web site. Or for those who cannot access the web then these modules 
should be provided. By the way when all the issues of the role of the 
commission were going on I sent the links to those to each and every 
commissioner including Pilarski at the time.

On your final point however Fred I agree wholeheartedly. Cannon has been 
Director during the sad demise of MCB and he has, in countless most mavelent 
and most documented actions accelerated the push of MCB right to the 
proverbial, metaphorical cliff.

I cannot know what is in people's hearts, or what intents are. I can and do 
know however, actions and deeds.

The former is speculative, the latter is fact based and document.

In other words Jo Anne may have a great heart and warmth. I will not dispute 
that. It is irrelevant to her actions and in actions over the years. In 
other words her tenure as with all public officials and fiduciaries of the 
public trust is to be judged based upon the actual record.

...As is Cannon's for that matter...

Peace with Justice,

Joe

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Fred Wurtzel" <f.wurtzel at att.net>
To: "'NFB of Michigan Internet Mailing List'" <nfbmi-talk at nfbnet.org>
Cc: <arwoods at michigan.gov>; "Norm saari" <saarin at michigan.gov>; "Jo Ann 
Pilarski" <pilarskij at charter.net>; "Geri Taeckens" 
<geri.taeckens at isahealthfund.org>; "Joe Sibley" <joe.sibley at comcast.net>; 
<GWunder at earthlink.net>
Sent: Thursday, July 14, 2011 1:38 AM
Subject: [nfbmi-talk] Jo Ann Pilarski Resignation


> Hello,
>
>
>
> I try to be out front about my thinking.  With regard to Chairman 
> Pilarski's
> resignation, I am sorry.  I understand and agree with some of the issues
> that some people, some of my closest friends,  have made.  I have seen 
> many
> Commissioners come and go.  Jo Ann has a heart and cares about people.  I
> have seen some sleep through meetings, I have seen some who were ignorant
> about blindness and the Commission, I have seen at least 1 Commissioner 
> who
> wondered aloud in public why the Governor appointed him.  Jo Ann took an
> active role in her service and did her best at the job.  She made many 
> good
> and difficult decisions on behalf of blind vendors and college students.
>
>
>
> I don't even argue that my friends and colleagues are necessarily wrong in
> their feelings.  I simply say that I do not share these feelings toward Jo
> Ann.
>
>
>
> The MCB Director is a manipulative, mean-spirited, ruthless administrator.
> he bullies and intimidates anyone who challenges him or is better than he 
> is
> at what they do.  He will throw anyone under the bus.  Remember the
> departures of Mark Eagle and Don Bowman?  he is using the Commission board
> to drive a wedge between blind people and the Governor.  it is a shame 
> that
> decent people cannot abide the kind of ruthlessness involved in serving on
> the Michigan Commission Board.  Jo Ann is a decent person.
>
>
>
> I am sorry to see Jo Ann leave.  Blind vendors are losing a friend and 
> ally.
> All I have to say is watch out for her replacement. I am sure they will 
> not
> have the kind heart and care for individuals that Jo Ann Pilarski has.
>
>
>
> Warmest Regards,
>
>
>
> Fred
>
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