[nfbmi-talk] AMENDED FOIA Response to Request for Informationon E. Rodgers Exp. for Attendance at the NFB MI Convention
joe harcz Comcast
joeharcz at comcast.net
Fri Nov 15 19:05:32 UTC 2013
Say Christine and All,
Do you think I should develop an IPE with BSBP to become the FOIA director
for LARA?
I mean I can pull numbers out of my backside just as well as any sighted
person can make them outup out of thin air.
I can tell those pesky citizens and reporters to "bug off" too.
Of course, I won't work cheap.
How about that one million dollar per year salary Governor Snyder, with
perks of course!
Again I don't work cheap to if I'm going to sell out citizens blind and
sighted alike I'm going to want something hefty. I mean to sell my very own
soul, I guess a million per year is pretty cheap.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Christine Boone" <christineboone2 at gmail.com>
To: "NFB of Michigan Internet Mailing List" <nfbmi-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Friday, November 15, 2013 1:40 PM
Subject: Re: [nfbmi-talk] AMENDED FOIA Response to Request for Informationon
E. Rodgers Exp. for Attendance at the NFB MI Convention
> Are you keeping a tally sheet with all of these charges? You should be
> close to a million by now, especially with that one charge of $750
> thousand for one request.
> On Nov 15, 2013, at 12:25 PM, joe harcz Comcast <joeharcz at comcast.net>
> wrote:
>
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: joe harcz Comcast
>> To: Haynes, Carla (LARA)
>> Sent: Friday, November 15, 2013 12:24 PM
>> Subject: Re: AMENDED FOIA Response to Request for Information on E.
>> Rodgers Exp. for Attendance at the NFB MI Convention
>>
>>
>> Wow, sounds a little pricey for an agency that is supposed to account for
>> literally millions in expenditures of state and federal funds. Of course
>> your agency can't even seem to generate a report or answer basic
>> questions about expenditures like say for example those related to the
>> BEP Capitol renovation expenditures, or even an annualized operating
>> budget by category.
>>
>> Jeez do you all charge the Auditor General's Office or the Rehabilitation
>> Services Administration for financials?
>>
>> Anyway you all are making this citizen who is blind quite proud of the
>> transparency efforts of this federally and state funded entity which is
>> after all else supposed to be about the rehabilitation and employment of
>> people who are blind.
>>
>> It all sort of makes me warm and fuzzy inside Ms. Haynes.
>>
>> Oh by the by you sat next to me a few years back when Tom Quasarano of
>> the Attorney General's office briefed the then commission for the blind
>> on FOIA and OMA. Moroever, I briefed all on obligations relative to the
>> ADA and Section 504 obligations.
>>
>> So you, Ms. Haynes knows precisely the violations of all not only in this
>> response but in others.
>>
>> Finally as stated in other responses I think you all have got this thing
>> a bit backwards. I, a private citizen does not work for you or your
>> agency. You all work for me and other citizens.
>>
>> Warmly,
>>
>> Joe Harcz
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: Haynes, Carla (LARA)
>> To: joe harcz Comcast
>> Cc: Rodgers, Edward (LARA) ; Luzenski, Sue (LARA) ; Pemble, Mike (LARA)
>> ; Belknap, Katie (LARA) ; Duell, Elsie (LARA) ; Essenberg, Rob (LARA)
>> Sent: Friday, November 15, 2013 11:43 AM
>> Subject: AMENDED FOIA Response to Request for Information on E. Rodgers
>> Exp. for Attendance at the NFB MI Convention
>>
>>
>> November 15, 2013
>>
>>
>>
>> Mr. Paul Joseph Harcz, Jr.
>>
>> E-mail: joeharcz at comcast.net
>>
>> 1365 E. Mt. Morris Rd.
>>
>> Mt. Morris, MI 48458
>>
>>
>>
>> Re: AMENDED - FOIA Response to Request for Information on Expenses for
>> Edward Rodgers II for Attendance at the NFB MI Convention
>>
>>
>>
>> Dear Mr. Harcz, Jr.:
>>
>>
>>
>> This email is in response to your October 23, 2013, email request for
>> information, received by this office on October 24, 2013. Please be
>> advised that the Bureau of Services for Blind Persons (BSBP) is
>> processing this request under the state's Freedom of Information Act
>> (FOIA), MCL 15.231 et seq. An extension was taken to November 14, 2013.
>>
>>
>>
>> You have requested information as described in your email (also included
>> below) as:
>>
>>
>>
>> "I am writing you today to send me the "group billing" for lodging and
>> other expenses (including personnel) for your attendance at the recent
>> NFB MI State convention.
>>
>>
>>
>> I also wish to know who was the driver of the state car used for this
>> important convention."
>>
>>
>>
>> In an email to you on November 13, 2013, your request was partially
>> granted and partially denied as to existing, nonexempt documents
>> pertaining to your request.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> FOIA Response - P.J. Harcz, Jr.
>>
>> November 15, 2013
>>
>> Page 2 of 3
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> As to the denied portion of your request, regarding information on "the
>> driver of the state car used for this important convention", it has come
>> to my attention that we do possess information regarding this issue and
>> so I am granting this portion of your request. This information will be
>> included with the portion of your previously granted request, regarding
>> information on "lodging and other expenses for attendance at the recent
>> NFB MI State convention". We estimate that the time to process this
>> total request is 2 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, 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 payment of $62.12 in order to begin the processing of this
>> request. An invoice is attached that outlines the costs.
>>
>>
>>
>> Once payment is received, we will process your request. Once the
>> process is complete, we may request payment for an additional amount if
>> the actual cost of the request exceeds $62.12. Once we receive total
>> payment, we will send the information either to you via email or to you
>> in the U.S. Mail on
>>
>> FOIA Response - P.J. Harcz, Jr.
>>
>> November 15, 2013
>>
>> Page 2 of 3
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> 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
>>
>> Rob Essenberg
>>
>>
>>
>> DEPARTMENT OF LICENSING AND REGULATORY AFFAIRS
>>
>> BUREAU OF SERVICES FOR BLIND PERSONS
>>
>> 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: October 24, 2013
>>
>> TYPE OF REQUEST: Email
>>
>> REQUEST PARTIALLY DENIED: Yes
>>
>> EXEMPT INFORMATION WITHHELD/REDACTED: To be determined
>>
>> EXTENDED RESPONSE NOTICE ISSUED: Yes to November 14, 2013
>>
>> 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 today to send me the "group billing" for lodging and
>> other expenses (including personnel) for your attendance at the recent
>> NFB MI State convention.
>>
>>
>>
>> I also wish to know who was the driver of the state car used for this
>> important convention."
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> INVOICE CALCULATIONS
>>
>>
>>
>> LABOR
>>
>> Locating and Duplicating Cost:
>>
>> Number of Hours: 1.5 hrs. x Hourly Rate: $31.06 = Amount: $46.59
>>
>> Examining and Extracting Cost:
>>
>> Number of Hours: .5 hrs. x Hourly Rate: $31.06 =
>> Amount: $15.53
>>
>> TOTAL LABOR: $62.12
>>
>> POSTAGE (estimate): To be determined based on the amount of
>> information
>>
>> DUPLICATING: Number of Pages (0) times Copying Rate of $0
>>
>> OTHER (overtime, audio tapes, discs, photos, security, etc.): $0
>>
>>
>>
>> SUBTOTAL: $62.12
>>
>> Less waived indigency fee under FOIA Act MCL 15.234 Section 4(1)
>>
>>
>>
>> INVOICE TOTAL: $62.12
>>
>>
>>
>> DEPOSIT* $0
>>
>>
>>
>> TO BE PAID*: $62.12
>>
>>
>>
>> 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 harcz Comcast [mailto:joeharcz at comcast.net]
>>
>> Sent: Wednesday, October 23, 2013 10:49 AM
>>
>> To: Rodgers, Edward (LARA)
>>
>> Cc: nfbmi-talk at nfbnet.org
>>
>> Subject: group billing request nfb mi convention
>>
>>
>>
>> October 23 2013 to Rodgers Group Billing NFB MI Convention
>>
>>
>>
>> Paul Joseph Harcz, Jr.
>>
>> 1365 E. Mt. Morris Rd.
>>
>> Mt. Morris, MI 48458
>>
>> joeharcz at comcast.net
>>
>> 810-516-5262
>>
>>
>>
>> To: Edward Rodgers, Director BSBP
>>
>>
>>
>> Dear Sir,
>>
>>
>>
>> I am writing you today to send me the "group billing" for lodging and
>> other expenses (including personnel) for your attendance at the recent
>> NFB MI State convention.
>>
>>
>>
>> I also wish to know who was the driver of the state car used for this
>> important convention.
>>
>>
>>
>> You may send this to me in accessible format which by now you are quite
>> aware of.
>>
>>
>>
>> Thank you, by the way for attending and for your responsive and
>> enlighten comments to all.
>>
>>
>>
>> Sincerely,
>>
>>
>>
>> Paul Joseph Harcz, Jr.
>>
>>
>>
>> -Ninety-nine Percent of lawyers give the other one percent a bad
>> name.Steven Wright
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Cc: NFB MI
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> 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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>
>
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