[nfbmi-talk] Fw: Response to Email of 4-22-14 Regarding EOC Minutes

Tue Apr 29 02:22:29 UTC 2014

That is truly hogwash.  The EOC secretary, Jennifer,  is an employee of the
state, on the state payroll, and identifies herself publicly at each meeting
as staff of the agency.  2nd, the BS4BP is the State Licensing Agency to the
Rehabilitation Service Administration (RSA), of the federal government, the
major funding source for the BEP, and the EOC, a federally law mandated
Commmittee of blind vendors, for which the State Licensing Agency is charged
for compliance, and the BEP Admministrative Rules and Public Act 260 of
1978, clearly require compliance with the Michigan Open Meetings Act,  and
charge  the BS4BP with responsibility for compliance with the law, and Open
Meetings Act in particular.  Unfortunately, BS4BP has a director, allegedly
sworn as an officer of the Courts, by virtue of a law license allegedly,
that selectivity choses to recognize the law and administrative rules as he
sees fit, and only advances his illegal agenda.

It is clear, like so many of the BS4BP staff, Jennifer, the EOC secretary,
a staff member, lacks training, direction, and supervision to do the
assigned job.  This is especially true in BEP, as demonstrated by the state
auditors' report, which the BEP and BS4BP wish did not exist, and ignore, as
if it does not exist.  And of course, the EOC lacks total leadership with
regard to compliance with the law and proper training of Jennifer.  

-----Original Message-----
From: nfbmi-talk [mailto:nfbmi-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of joe
harcz Comcast
Sent: Monday, April 28, 2014 1:43 PM
To: nfbmi-talk at nfbnet.org
Subject: [nfbmi-talk] Fw: Response to Email of 4-22-14 Regarding EOC Minutes

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Haynes, Carla (LARA) 
To: joe harcz Comcast 
Cc: Rodgers, Edward (LARA) ; Luzenski, Sue (LARA) ; Pemble, Mike (LARA) ;
Belknap, Katie (LARA) ; Zanger, Connie (LARA) ; Hull, James (LARA) 
Sent: Monday, April 28, 2014 12:50 PM
Subject: Response to Email of 4-22-14 Regarding EOC Minutes

April 28, 2014

Mr. Paul Joseph Harcz, Jr.

Email:  joeharcz at comcast.net

1365 E. Mt. Morris Rd.

Mt. Morris, MI 48458

Re:  EOC Minutes

Dear Mr. Harcz, Jr.:

As I have stated before, please be advised that the Bureau of Services for
Blind Persons (BSBP) has no control over the Elected Operators Committee
(EOC).  Any problem you have with the EOC should be taken up with the EOC. 

As we have previously discussed, BSBP has no control over the Advisory
Commission.  Any issues you have with the Advisory Commission must be taken
up with them.

BSBP only has the authority and power to control its own activities.  For
example, we cannot order the Board of Medicine to provide you with their
minutes.  When we receive minutes that have been approved by the EOC or the
Advisory Commission, we will post them on our website as quickly as
possible.

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

Letter - P.J. Harcz, Jr.

Page 2 of 2

April 28, 2014

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 FOIA

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.

Sincerely,

Carla Miller Haynes

Bureau of Services for Blind Persons

cc:     Edward F. Rodgers II

          Sue Luzenski

          Mike Pemble

          Katie Belknap

          Constance Zanger

          James Hull

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