[nfbmi-talk] Fw: Response to FOIA Request of 1-6-12 - Gales True Value Hardware Payment for FY 2011

joe harcz Comcast joeharcz at comcast.net
Wed Jan 18 18:47:18 UTC 2012


----- Original Message ----- 
From: joe harcz Comcast 
To: Haynes, Carla (LARA) 
Sent: Wednesday, January 18, 2012 1:46 PM
Subject: Re: Response to FOIA Request of 1-6-12 - Gales True Value Hardware Payment for FY 2011


Dear Carla,

I am writing today to simply request the Supervisers name who authorized and/or ultimately approved these purchases.

I assume that Since Christine Boone was not the head of the MCB TC at the time and as Shery Hiebeck was then it was indeed Ms. Hiebeck who approved ultimately these purchases.

Sincerely,

Paul Joseph Harcz, Jr.

cc: MCB Commissioners
cc: NFB MI
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Haynes, Carla (LARA) 
  To: joe harcz Comcast (joeharcz at comcast.net) 
  Cc: Cannon, Patrick (LARA) ; Farmer, Mel (LARA) ; Turney, Susan (LARA) ; Duell, Elsie (LARA) ; Boone, Christine (LARA) ; Beville-Sprinkle, Rose (LARA) 
  Sent: Tuesday, January 17, 2012 12:52 PM
  Subject: Response to FOIA Request of 1-6-12 - Gales True Value Hardware Payment for FY 2011


  January 17, 2012

   

  Mr. Paul Joseph Harcz, Jr.

  E-mail: joeharcz at comcast.net

  1365 E. Mt. Morris Rd.

  Mt. Morris, MI 48458

   

  Re:  Payments to Gales True Value Hardware Inc. for FY 2011 Request 

   

  Dear Mr. Harcz, Jr.:

   

  This letter is in response to your January 6, 2012, email request for copies of public records, received January 9, 2012, in this office.  Please be informed that the Department's Michigan Commission for the Blind (MCB) is processing this request under the state's Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), MCL 15.231 et seq.

   

  You have requested information as described in your email, a copy of which is attached.

   

  Your request is granted as to existing, nonexempt records in the possession of the Department falling within the scope of your request.

   

  Section 4(1) of the FOIA, MCL 15.234(1), provides that a public body may charge a fee for public record search, including the mailing, costs, the cost of duplication or publication including labor, the cost of search, examination, review, and the deletion and separation of exempt from nonexempt information. The Department has estimated that a minimum of 9 hours of employee time must be drawn away from their respective duties and assignments to search, locate, and retrieve records to determine if they are responsive to your request, and to examine and review the responsive records for possible statutory exemptions from public disclosure. For the above reasons, the Department, pursuant to MCL15.234, Section 4(3) of the FOIA, has determined that failure to charge a fee in this particular instance will result in unreasonably high costs to the Department. The estimated costs to process this request, based on the hourly wages (including fringe benefits) of the lowest paid Department employee capable of performing the necessary tasks to comply with the request is $225.90.

   

  Therefore, in order to complete the processing of your request, based on the hourly wages of the lowest paid Department employees capable of performing the necessary tasks to process the request, under MCL 15.234, Section 4(2) of the state's FOIA, the Department requires a good faith deposit of $102.95, which is one-half of the total estimated $225.90, minus a $20.00 credit per MCL 15.234, Section 4(1) of the FOIA. See the attached Invoice Calculations illustrating estimated costs and payment instructions

   

  The above estimate is based on an estimated 130 payments MCB made to Gales True Value Hardware Inc. for fiscal year 2011.  All payments made to Gales True Value Hardware Inc. by MCB were for building supplies coded to the Michigan Commission for the Blind Training Center.  The general notation for these payments was "building supplies".  The estimated cost to produce copies of the 130 invoices paid is also detailed in the attached invoice. 

   

  After receipt of the good faith deposit and upon completing the process of your request, the Department will notify you in writing of any balance due and payable (or owed you) before copies of the requested records are forwarded to you; and will explain any statutory basis for the exemption of any records in whole or in part, and your remedial rights.

   

  Sincerely,

   

   

  Carla Miller Haynes, FOIA Coordinator

  Michigan Commission for the Blind

   

   

  Attachments: 

  1.         Email of 1/6/2012 received 1/9/2012

  2.         FOIA Invoice

   

  Cc:      Patrick Cannon

              Mel Farmer

              Susan Turney

              Elsie Duell

              Christine Boone

              Rose Beville-Sprinkle

   


  From: joe harcz Comcast [mailto:joeharcz at comcast.net] 

  Sent: Friday, January 06, 2012 4:51 PM

  To: Cannon, Patrick (LARA)

  Cc: Larry Posont MCB Comm.; lydia Schuck MCB Comm.; John Scott MCB Comm.; nfbmi-talk at nfbnet.org

  Subject: wondering about these purchases

   

  January 6 2012 Inquiry Lee's Inn Gales

   

  Paul Joseph Harcz, Jr.

  joeharcz at comcast.net  

   

  To: Patrick D. Cannon

  Director, Michigan Commission for the Blind

   

  (Via E-mail)

   

  Dear Mr. Cannon,

   

  I'm writing today to inquire about the following purchases:

   

  "Payments to a Vendor by Agency

  Payments to GALES TRUE VALUE HARDWARE INC for fiscal year 2011

  Click on a agency name to view payments to this vendor by this agency.

  Table with 2 columns and 2 rows

  Agency Name

  Payment Totals

  LICENSING AND REGULATORY AFFAIRS

  $5,598.25

   

  "

  Could whatever was purchased here relate to materials and supplies put into the Lee's Inn?

   

  Very Best,

  Paul Joseph Harcz, Jr.

  Cc: MCB Commissioners

  Cc: NFB MI


  DEPARTMENT OF LICENSING AND REGULATORY AFFAIRS

  MICHIGAN COMMISSION FOR THE BLIND

  FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT INVOICE

   

  NAME AND ADDRESS OF REQUESTER:

  Mr. Paul Joseph Harcz, Jr.

  E-mail: joeharcz at comcast.net

  1365 E. Mt. Morris Rd.

  Mt. Morris, MI 48458

   

  REQUEST RECEIVED:  January 9, 2012

  TYPE OF REQUEST:  Email

  REQUEST PARTIALLY DENIED:  No

  EXEMPT INFORMATION WITHHELD/REDACTED:  To be determined

  EXTENDED RESPONSE NOTICE ISSUED:  No

  REQUESTED INFORMATION WILL BE:  Emailed/Invoiced For Partial Payment

  ACCOUNT CODE:  Index: 36200 PCA:   11343

   

  DLARA CONTACT:  Melvin Farmer, Central FOIA Coordinator (517) 373-0194, Ottawa Building, 4th Floor, 611 W. Ottawa, Lansing, MI  48909

   

  The FOIA provides that the department may charge a fee to comply with requests for public records.  The processing fee is composed of hourly wages and benefit costs of the lowest paid employee(s) capable of processing the request; the duplication of records at assessed costs per page; mailing costs; and other related special costs.  Prior to searching and copying requested records, the department may request full payment or 50% of the estimated costs exceeding $50.00 with the balance required before mailing the records.  Assessed costs are related to your request for:

   

  ""Payments to a Vendor by Agency - Payments to GALES TRUE VALUE HARDWARE INC for fiscal year 2011"

   

   

   

   

  INVOICE CALCULATIONS

   

  LABOR 

              Locating and Duplicating Cost:  

                          Number of Hours: 8 hours times Hourly Rate: $25.10 = Amount: $200.80

              Examining and Extracting Cost:  

                          Number of Hours: 1 hours times Hourly Rate: $25.10 = Amount:  $25.10

  TOTAL LABOR:        $225.90

  POSTAGE (estimate):         $0

  DUPLICATING:  Number of Pages times Copying Rate of $.25         $0

  OTHER (overtime, audio tapes, discs, photos, security, etc.): $0

  SUBTOTAL:              $225.90

  Less waived indigency fee under FOIA Act MCL 15.234 Section 4(1)          ($20.00)

  INVOICE TOTAL:     $205.90

   

  DEPOSIT*     $102.95

   

  BALANCE OF INVOICE:    $102.95

   

  Make check or money order payable to:  STATE OF MICHIGAN

  Remit to:                    Department of Licensing And Regulatory Affairs

  Office Services Mailroom

  7150 Harris Drive, PO Box 30015

  Lansing, MI  48909

   

  RETURN ORIGINAL COPY OF THIS INVOICE WITH YOUR PAYMENT

   

  *Please note that if a deposit is requested, the indicated amount is an estimate of the cost of complying with your request.  The actual cost may vary somewhat from this amount.

   

  Carla Miller Haynes

  DLARA Michigan Commission for the Blind

  201 N. Washington Sq., 2nd Floor

  P.O. Box 30652

  Lansing, MI  48909

  Phone:  517/373-2063

  FAX: 517/335-5140

   

  www.michigan.gov/mcb



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