[nfbmi-talk] Fw: FOIA Response to Request for Information on BSBPStudent Assistants
Joe Sontag
suncat0 at gmail.com
Thu Nov 7 13:09:39 UTC 2013
I agree and will consider carefully my options.
----- Original Message -----
From: "joe harcz Comcast" <joeharcz at comcast.net>
To: "Joe Sontag" <suncat0 at gmail.com>; "NFB of Michigan Internet Mailing
List" <nfbmi-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Thursday, November 07, 2013 7:37
Subject: Re: [nfbmi-talk] Fw: FOIA Response to Request for Information on
BSBPStudent Assistants
> These are totally arbitrary and capricious.
>
> Aside from that Ms. Duell who was cc'd on this and Ms. Haynes herself
> could generate this in minutes. It is after all a simple accounting
> measure , and annualized payroll. They have to do this on an ongoing basis
> for tax and retirement purposes. They have to use these numbers to report
> to RSA. They have to know just who is working for the agency, what they
> do, and how much they are paid.
>
> Now, I suggest to Governor Snyder, the ultimate accountant and "run the
> state like a business" nerd that he look in to the management and
> accounting practices of this agency.
>
>
> I mean the hours that these folks claim to use here for this simple thing
> are unrealistic as if there is a need for FOIA in the first place and as
> if these were legitimate in the first instance.
>
>
> All should know that under law all school districts in Michigan are
> required to post such information upon their web site by the way.
>
> Anyway if it takes almost an entire work day to generate the information
> for me and then once they have it an additional amount of time to
> generate the same for you then either something is wrong with their
> systems; something is wrong with their personnel; something is skewed in
> their estimates; or they are using FOIA to commit fraud upon the
> citizenry here.
>
> I was considering paying for this one, but upon reflection I'd rather
> spend any time and money on legal action against these perversions. For
> remember the purpose of the FOIA in the first place is to root out waste,
> fraud and abuse.
>
> Joe Harcz
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Joe Sontag" <suncat0 at gmail.com>
> To: "NFBMI List" <nfbmi-talk at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Wednesday, November 06, 2013 9:45 PM
> Subject: [nfbmi-talk] Fw: FOIA Response to Request for Information on
> BSBPStudent Assistants
>
>
> And the beat goes on
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Haynes, Carla (LARA)
> To: Joe Sontag
> Cc: Rodgers, Edward (LARA) ; Luzenski, Sue (LARA) ; Pemble, Mike (LARA) ;
> Belknap, Katie (LARA) ; Duell, Elsie (LARA)
> Sent: Wednesday, November 06, 2013 13:26
> Subject: FOIA Response to Request for Information on BSBP Student
> Assistants
>
>
> November 6, 2013
>
>
>
> Mr. Joe Sontag
>
> E-mail: suncat0 at gmail.com
>
> 1204 Morris Ave.
>
> Lansing Michigan 48917
>
>
>
> Re: FOIA Response to Request for Information on BSBP Student Assistants
>
>
>
> Dear Mr. Sontag:
>
>
>
> This email is in response to your October 17, 2013, email request for
> information, received by this office on October 18, 2013, of which an
> extension was taken to November 7, 2013. Please be advised that the
> Bureau of Services for Blind Persons 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 as:
>
>
>
> "I am writing you for a complete list of the names of all Student
> Assistants employed by the Bureau at any time during fiscal year 2012-13,
> their job descriptions, hourly pay and total compensation received.
>
>
>
> A response via e-mail reply with the information attached, together with
> any additional information you can provide regarding sources of this kind
> of data that I can access and utilize independently will be appreciated."
>
>
>
> Your request is granted as to existing, nonexempt documents pertaining to
> your request. We estimate that the time to process this request is 5
> hours. 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,
>
>
>
> FOIA Response - J. Sontag
>
> November 6, 2013
>
> Page 2 of 2
>
>
>
>
>
> examination, review, and the deletion and separation of exempt from
> nonexempt information.
>
>
>
> Please note that nothing within the federal American with Disabilities Act
> (ADA ), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (RA), as amended, or
> the state's FOIA (MCL 15.231 et seq.) requires a public body to process
> FOIA requests free of charge. Further, while the ADA and Section 504 of
> the RA may mandate that, upon request, material be produced in an
> accessible format without charge, neither the ADA or Section 504 of the RA
> preclude a public body from charging costs under the state's FOIA. Thusly,
> please note that no labor fee charges have been, or will be, assessed to
> convert existing, nonexempt public records responsive to your requests
> into an accessible format to forward to you.
>
>
>
> In order to complete the processing of your request, and based on the
> hourly wages and benefits of the lowest paid Department employee capable
> of performing the necessary tasks to process your request, we are
> requesting a deposit of $82.65 in order to begin the processing of this
> request. An invoice is attached that outlines the costs.
>
>
>
> Once payment is received for the deposit, we will start the processing of
> your request. Once the process is complete, we will request payment for
> the additional amount of the actual cost of the request. When we receive
> this payment, we will send the information either to you via email or to
> you in the U.S. Mail on a USB flash drive (depending on the amount of
> material responsive to your request).
>
>
>
> Sincerely,
>
>
>
> Carla Miller Haynes, FOIA Coordinator
>
> Bureau of Services for Blind Persons
>
>
>
> Attachments - 2: Invoice & Email Request for Information
>
> cc: Edward F. Rodgers II, Sue
> Luzenski
>
> Mike Pemble, Katie Belknap,
> Elsie Duell
>
>
>
> DEPARTMENT OF LICENSING AND REGULATORY AFFAIRS
>
> BUREAU OF SERVICES FOR BLIND PERSONS
>
> FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT INVOICE
>
>
>
>
>
> NAME AND ADDRESS OF REQUESTER:
>
> Mr. Joe Sontag
>
> E-mail: suncat0 at gmail.com
>
> 1204 Morris Ave.
>
> Lansing Michigan 48917
>
>
>
> REQUEST RECEIVED: October 18, 2013
>
> TYPE OF REQUEST: Email
>
> REQUEST PARTIALLY DENIED: To be determined
>
> EXEMPT INFORMATION WITHHELD/REDACTED: To be determined
>
> EXTENDED RESPONSE NOTICE ISSUED: Yes to 11-7-13
>
> REQUESTED INFORMATION WILL BE: Emailed/Invoiced For 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:
>
>
>
> "I am writing you for a complete list of the names of all Student
> Assistants employed by the Bureau at any time during fiscal year 2012-13,
> their job descriptions, hourly pay and total compensation received.
>
>
>
> A response via e-mail reply with the information attached, together with
> any additional information you can provide regarding sources of this kind
> of data that I can access and utilize independently will be appreciated."
>
>
>
> INVOICE CALCULATIONS
>
>
>
> LABOR
>
> Locating and Duplicating
> Cost:
>
> Number of Hours: 4 hrs. x Hourly Rate: $31.06 = Amount: $124.24
>
> Examining and Extracting
> Cost:
>
> Number of Hours:
> 1 hrs. x Hourly Rate: $31.06 = Amount: $31.06
>
> TOTAL LABOR: $155.30
>
> POSTAGE (estimate): $3.00
>
> DUPLICATING: Number of Pages (0) times Copying Rate of $0
>
> OTHER (overtime, audio tapes, discs, photos, security, etc.): $7.00 (for
> USB Drive)
>
>
>
> SUBTOTAL: $165.30
>
> Less waived indigency fee under FOIA Act MCL 15.234 Section 4(1)
>
>
>
> INVOICE TOTAL: $165.30
>
>
>
> DEPOSIT* $82.65
>
>
>
> BALANCE TO BE PAID*: $82.65
>
>
>
> 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.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> From: Joe Sontag [mailto:suncat0 at gmail.com]
> Sent: Thursday, October 17, 2013 5:14 PM
> To: Rodgers, Edward (LARA)
> Cc: Pemble, Mike (LARA)
> Subject: Request for Information on Student Assistants at BSBP
>
>
>
> October 17, 2013
>
>
>
> Joseph Sontag
>
>
>
> 1204 Morris Ave.
>
>
>
> Lansing Michigan 48917
>
>
>
> Edward F. Rodgers, Director
>
>
> Bureau of Services for Blind Persons
>
>
>
> Dear Ed:
>
>
>
> I am writing you for a complete list of the names of all Student
> Assistants employed by the Bureau at any time during fiscal year 2012-13,
> their job descriptions, hourly
>
>
>
> pay and total compensation received.
>
>
>
> A response via e-mail reply with the information attached, together with
> any additional information you can provide regarding sources of this kind
> of data that I can access
>
>
>
> and utilize independently will be appreciated.
>
>
>
> Cordially,
>
>
>
> Joe Sontag
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Carla Miller Haynes
>
> LARA Bureau of Services for Blind Persons (BSBP)
>
> 201 N. Washington Square, 2nd Floor
>
> P.O. Box 30652
>
> Lansing, MI 48909
>
> Telephone: 517-373-2063 or Toll-Free 1-800-292-4200
>
> Fax: 517-335-5140
>
>
>
> www.michigan.gov/bsbp
>
>
>
>
>
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>
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