[nfbmi-talk] Fw: Conflict of Interest Complaint

Tue Oct 22 11:56:08 UTC 2013

Oh, by the way in the Mark Eagle case he was neither paid by MCB anor did he 
have a financial interest in your unpaid advocacy.

McNeal on the other hand is clearly paid with federal and public funds by 
one of the two parties engaged in this clearly conflicted relationship.

By the way New Horizons also has had very conflicted relationships to the 
present with members of intermediate school district special education (and 
that was the issue with RSA) and with MRS.

In fact it recieves more than one million dollars directly from MRS and BSBP 
the two VR agencies in this state.

They are a slave labor shelterred shop operation that would make most of the 
Goodwill's in this state blush.

And in fact at least from BSBP funds they don't engage with Goodwill's in 
most of the state.

So then why New Horizon's?

This doesn't just go to McNeal though, but also to Jones and to the utterly 
discraceful activities of the corrupted Southeast Region of BSBP of which we 
are all aware.

By the way President Posont made an excellent note of the shameful and 
racially tinged behavior of BSBP towards customers in that region.

Joe
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Terry D. Eagle" <terrydeagle at yahoo.com>
To: "'NFB of Michigan Internet Mailing List'" <nfbmi-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Tuesday, October 22, 2013 4:28 AM
Subject: Re: [nfbmi-talk] Fw: Conflict of Interest Complaint

> This is Classic BS from the chief of the BS agency.
>
> So since MR. Rodgers, Chief of BS, obviously relies on the fact that Ms.
> McNeal serves on a voluntary and non-compensated basis on the new Horizons
> board, and therefore, there is no conflict-of-interest by virtue of Ms.
> McNeal's BS4Bp position and New Horizons board service, despite her 
> approval
> of contracts to New Horizon from BS4Bp.
>
> Question:  So how is Ms. McNeal's VOLUNTARY UMCOMPENSATED New Horizons 
> board
> service NOT a CONFLICT-OF-INTEREST, but Mark Eagle's VOLUNTARY 
> UNCOMPENSATED
> MCB board service WAS FOUND to be a CONFLICT-OF-INTEREST?
>
> Just because McNeal's supervisor, who also has a perceived  stake in the 
> New
> Horizon's outcomes, says it is not a conflict-of-interest does not make 
> for
> a conflict-of-interest.
>
> It seems to me that there is a usual double standard at play here.
>
> More questions than answers:
> 1.  Where is the principle of an "appearance of a perceived
> conflict-of-interest" not applied here, as in the case of Mark Eagle?
> 2.  Why was this :advisory opinion" of the State Ethics Board NOT 
> presented
> to and determined by the State Ethics Board, rather than a single state
> employee?
> 3.  Why is it acceptable for Ms. McNeal to "recuse" herself on matters 
> that
> appear to indicate a conflict-of-interest, but it WAS NOT ACCEPTABLE for
> Mark Eagle to "RECUSE" himself in matters whereby there may be a perceived
> conflict-of-interest?
> Mr. Rodgers where is your code of conduct in such a matter?  This issue 
> not
> only raises a question of ethics and integrity on the part of Ms. McNeal, 
> it
> also places a shadow over both you, Mr. Rodgers, and Mr. Zimmer, with 
> regard
> to the ethics and integrity of the two of you, as an attorney and sworn
> officer of Michigan courts, and operating under a code of conduct, that
> demands that any situation that even presents an appearance of a
> conflict-of-interest should be handled in a manner as if an actual
> conflict+-of-interests exists.
>
> Mr. Rodgers response leads me to conclude the 1) there is once again a
> double standard active within the agency serving blind persons, with 
> respect
> to ethical standards and expected conduct, 2) that the difference is that
> Ms. McNeal is not affiliated with NFB and Mark Eagle was identified as
> affiliated with NFB, therefore, discrimination based on affiliation with 
> the
> NFB is once again being exhibited by individuals at the top of the 
> agencies,
> and 3)  it demonstrates and reinforces that a culture of corruption is
> present and alive within the agency charged with serving the blind 
> citizens
> of Michigan.
>
> I know the TRUTH hurts, however it also shall set the captives free.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nfbmi-talk [mailto:nfbmi-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of joe
> harcz Comcast
> Sent: Friday, October 18, 2013 2:46 PM
> To: nfbmi-talk at nfbnet.org
> Subject: [nfbmi-talk] Fw: Conflict of Interest Complaint
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: joe harcz Comcast
> To: Rodgers, Edward (LARA)
> Sent: Friday, October 18, 2013 2:45 PM
> Subject: Re: Conflict of Interest Complaint
>
>
> Mr. Rodgers,
>
> As area supervisor Ms. McNeal has signed off on more than $100,000 of PSBP
> funds to New Horizons this fiscal year alone while on their board.
>
> Moreover, note the "reversion to vendor" issues cited in the RSA 
> monitoring
> report relative to New Horizons, the McComb ISD, and MCB on "transition
> programs". That was also during the time McNeal was area supervisor.
>
> As pointed out before it is not an issue whether or not McNeal gets money
> for her board service. What matters is that she is steering federal funds 
> in
> to this Community Rehabilitation Program. Moroever, this CRP also carries 
> a
> Section 14 C certificate and employes many people with disabilities at
> sub-minimum wages.
>
> Regardless this is more than an appearance of conflicted interests by a
> State official and steward  of state and federal funds.
>
> And the contention by New Horizons attorneys (Bodman, LLP) that it wasn't 
> a
> conflict is self serving at best. (Those are the Cannon issues you brought
> up.) It is the purely interested party saying that they have no interest. 
> I
> mean after all they examined themselves. This is apparent upon its face.
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Paul Joseph Harcz, Jr.
>
>
>  ----- Original Message ----- 
>  From: Rodgers, Edward (LARA)
>  To: joe harcz Comcast (joeharcz at comcast.net)
>  Cc: Luzenski, Sue (LARA)
>  Sent: Friday, October 18, 2013 2:31 PM
>  Subject: Conflict of Interest Complaint
>
>
>  Good afternoon Mr. Harcz,
>
>
>
>  Mr. Michael Zimmer, Chief Deputy Director of the Michigan Department of
> Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) has asked me as the Director of 
> the
> Bureau of Services for Blind Persons (BSBP) to respond to your recent
> conflict of interest complaint concerning BSBP employee Ms. Gwen McNeal.
>
>
>
>  I have investigated your allegations concerning Ms. Gwen McNeal.  During
> my investigation I discovered that these are not new allegations.
>
>
>
>  Our investigation of the conflict of interest allegation reveals that 
> Gwen
> McNeal explained her voluntary service on the New Horizon Board in 
> January,
> 2012.  On February 1, 2012 Pat Cannon, Director of the Michigan Commission
> for the Blind (MCB) requested that Janet McClelland, Executive Secretary 
> of
> the State Board of Ethics present his letter as a request for an Advisory
> Opinion of the Board.
>
>
>
>  Briefly the background is Ms.  McNeal was first appointed to the New
> Horizons Board in 2010 for a 1 year term.  She was reappointed in 2011 for 
> a
> 2 year term with approval of her Supervisor.  Ms. McNeal is strictly a
> volunteer, receiving no compensation, and meets with the Board on her own
> time and does not directly supervise the 2 counselors who may interact 
> with
> New Horizons.
>
>
>
>  Ms. Marie Lisle, Personnel Director of LARA became involved in this 
> matter
> and eventually on July 9, 2012 Ms. McNeal signed a statement which was 
> given
> to Marie Lisle.  The statement stated in pertinent part and was drafted by
> the Department.
>
>
>
>  "You must recuse yourself from all votes on anything coming before the
> board related to financial interactions, contractual arrangements or
> programmatic services with the Michigan Commission for the Blind (MCB) or
> the Bureau of Services for Blind Persons, which will be created October 1,
> 2012."
>
>
>
>  It is my understanding that the Board of Ethics found no conflict of
> interest in this situation. After reviewing this situation I don't believe
> this is a conflict of interest.  We have always encouraged our employees 
> to
> be involved in any activity which is not in conflict with our official
> duties which does serve the blind community.  We've always had employees 
> who
> were involved with NFB, the American Council and other worthwhile 
> community
> groups.
>
>
>
>
>
>  Edward F. Rodgers II
>
>  Director
>
>  Bureau of Services for Blind Persons
>
>
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