[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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