[nfbmi-talk] Decentralization of the Commission (thelongversion)
joe harcz Comcast
joeharcz at comcast.net
Sun Aug 3 13:11:23 UTC 2014
How has this transparency taken place?
Now two years later more and more rehab funds have been simply stolen
outright and no, I repeat no transparency has taken place.
Keeping our eyes on the prize here.
Those who don't know history are doomed to repeat it.
Joe
----- Original Message -----
From: "J.J. Meddaugh" <jj at bestmidi.com>
To: "NFB of Michigan Internet Mailing List" <nfbmi-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Sunday, February 26, 2012 4:00 AM
Subject: Re: [nfbmi-talk] Decentralization of the Commission
(thelongversion)
> Fred,
> I appreciate the thoughtful reply to Mark's comments and wish others would
> be as level-headed as you when approaching this issue instead of just
> spouting off hatred which gets us nowhere. I understand initial reactions
> were filled with dismay, but it's time to now look forward and turn this
> into a positive instead of a negative.
>
> Frankly, based on the current governmental client in Michigan, I am not at
> all surprised at what has happened and we probably should have seen it
> coming.
> What we are basically all in agreement on is the ineptness in which the
> MCB has operated for the past decade or more. I understand the knee-jerk
> reaction to just blast the governor for what has happened. After all, it's
> not the solution that any of us had hoped for. but I believe it's also
> important to examine this from a different lense. We are unsure as to who
> will be in charge of the former MCB staff. Perhaps if there is a new
> person in charge, they will be more willing to listen to us or to work
> with us. There is also a possible opportunity to serve on this new
> advisory board that has been created. On the other hand, if MRS continues
> to have just as many problems as the MCB, this is exactly what our current
> governor loves to fix. If MRS is terrible at managing a budget or creating
> positive change, then he may be just as interested in fixing this as well,
> which could ultimately be to our benefit.
> In the shortterm, we can propose some changes which will be in our best
> interest. The governor is all about transparency and publishing results.
> Let's push him to bring his dashboard concept to MRS and the agencies
> serving the blind. This will give an additional layer of accountability
> and give us information which we can use to take to the media on the
> success or failure of the program.
> Also, it would not be in our best interest to automatically antagonize the
> new person in charge of the former MCB staff, especially if it is an
> outsider. It is not a good idea for us to assume they are out to hurt us.
> Things like Newsline and Camp T funding become posibilities with positive
> dialog. Now, if the new person is about as effective as the old, then by
> all means admonish them for it. But let's not jump to conclusions.
> That is what I fear some of the people on this list are doing, and this
> will only hurt us in the end.
>
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Fred Wurtzel" <f.wurtzel at att.net>
> To: "'NFB of Michigan Internet Mailing List'" <nfbmi-talk at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Saturday, February 25, 2012 10:50 PM
> Subject: Re: [nfbmi-talk] Decentralization of the Commission (the
> longversion)
>
>
>> Hello Mark,
>>
>> Thank you for the measured reply to my pointed response to your message.
>> I
>> have been involved with this issue since the mid '70's. I was there when
>> Governor Milliken signed P.A. 260. I believe P.A. 260 was a pretty good
>> piece of legislation given the constitutional constraints here in
>> Michigan.
>> I was annoyed that someone who, to my knowledge, has never worked with
>> others to make changes was so confidently telling us all what we had done
>> wrong and how we had created the problem. I apologize if I overreacted
>> and
>> wish to explain, probably in too lengthy a post, my perspective on the
>> matter. It is easy to Monday-morning quarterback. Not so easy to work
>> nearly every day to do one's best to creat an agency that will create
>> jobs
>> and opportunities for first-class citizenship for blind people, even if
>> mistakes were made.
>>
>> I have been away from the computer all afternoon. It seems there is a
>> lot
>> of interest in this topic and you have certainly raised some points that
>> have struck some nerves. This is good. Until we can all have some
>> concensus about what happened, Why it happened we will not be able to set
>> a
>> direction in which to proceed.
>>
>> First, are we, the consumers, the cause or the victims here. My opinion
>> is
>> clear. We, the consumers did not cause this to happen. In my view 2
>> unfortunate forces converged within MCB. First, generally speaking the
>> field of rehabilitation of blind people is arcane and thus not well
>> understood by the vast majority of public adninistrators. It is the job
>> of
>> the agency administrator and other influencial parties to articulate this
>> to
>> decision-makers in order to direct public policy in favor of positive
>> rehabilitation outcomes. Second,
>>
>> Second, unfortunately, MCB was directed by an inept, uneducated and
>> self-promoting director. I almost said ineffective. This would have
>> been
>> wrong. When he had a personal goal he was quite effective in attaining
>> it.
>> It even appears that he used some of this effectiveness to make positive
>> changes. He orchestrated the move of MCB from the welfare agency to the
>> Labor department. Second and even more important, he was able to acquire
>> a
>> better split of federal funding between MRS and MCB. Tragically, Larry
>> Best
>> died about that time and there wer no more such beneficial outcomes for
>> MCB
>> within state government. It was Larry Best who managed the budget and
>> was
>> liason among various departments including between the Labor finance
>> people
>> and MCB. The MCB Director has no financial acumen and ceded all
>> authority
>> to the Department finance people following Larry's death.
>>
>> I have my view of the appropriate role for the MCB Board. I agree with
>> those who argue that the Board is not to micro-manage life on a daily
>> basis
>> for MCB staff. The board , clearly to me, has a role to set good policy
>> based on sound management practices and sound rehabilitation principles.
>> The board needs to see to it that the director is the conduit between
>> these
>> 2 segments of the agency. This is where the constraints of the Michigan
>> Constitution get in the way. P.A. 260 was a little too ambiguous on the
>> ability of the board to manage the Director.
>>
>> The Director inappropriately acquired too much power over the board by
>> manipulating the appointment process and then emasculated the board by
>> controlling the agendas, the information they received and partitioning
>> them
>> from training about the budget, the laws and their role.
>>
>> You characterized the board as amateurish. I do not see it that way.The
>> most recent board was demanding data. Data like the costs for closing
>> cases
>> either successful or unsuccessful. The numbers of intakes and training
>> information about the agency's clientele. They were demanding apropriate
>> legal counsel on those arcane points of law that they were responsible to
>> carry out. To me, this is very professional and appropriate. It was
>> also
>> not in the interest of the Director who wished to keep the Board out of
>> the
>> loop on what is happening.
>>
>> On 1 major point, the board was pushing hard to improve the training of
>> the
>> rehabilitation staff. Again, even in the general field of
>> rehabilitation,
>> blindness rehabilitation is specialized and different from the general
>> agency. Most of MCB's new-hires were from MRS or did not have much if
>> any
>> blindness training or experience. This was leading to poor services and
>> the
>> proposal of poor and even illegal policies for the agency. To me it is
>> totally appropriate for the board to advocate for quality and targeted
>> training.
>>
>> Now come a whole batch of new administrators with the new administration.
>> They see the tension and even hostility created by the Director's
>> inability
>> to manage the agency and immediately, as if following an ages-old script
>> of
>> paternalistic knee-jerk reactions. The blame the clientele for being
>> dissatisfied instead of grateful that anyone would throw them a few
>> crumbs.
>> They, despite much evidence, were unwilling or unable to directly manage
>> the
>> Director. They followed, quite logically, but very wrongly the course as
>> you described. They said well these people are unhappy. We'll show them
>> how it is going to be because we know about administration and never mind
>> the purpose of the agency. We'll figure out a better way and tell those
>> amateurish ungrateful poor blind incapable children how it is going to
>> be.
>> It was an unprofessional, imature and emotional reaction, but here we
>> are.
>>
>> now what to do. Assuming, and I have no reason except my initial
>> reaction
>> to your earler post, to believe you have only good intentions. You point
>> out our major weakness. It is a communication and marketing problem. We
>> have a great product. We want good-paying jobs for lots of successful
>> blind
>> people. Blind people who can live independetly, contribute to the
>> community, support their families, pay taxes and be good citizens. This
>> seems like a great product and an easy sell. Now, our task is to create
>> a
>> mechanism to make the product. This process is nuanced and has it's own
>> technology which has been proven, but is mainly unknown to the ordinary
>> citizen, administrator or policy maker. How do we insert such a system
>> into
>> state government in a way to get our outcomes and meet the needs of the
>> political system? To me, an astute politician would jump at the chance
>> to
>> create such an agency given the positive benefits of success. We need to
>> figure out how to sell such a process to the decision makers.
>>
>> This is where we all are. We, the NFB, are a civil rights movement. We
>> view events and actions through this lens. We are flexible, but in the
>> end,
>> to us it is all about equality and equal opportunity. Any solution or
>> course of action will need to take this perspective into account. Among
>> our
>> goals is the means of acquisition of jobs and full participation in
>> society.
>> A government agency cannot fully accomplish these goals, but it can
>> create
>> opportunities and conditions to make it happen. I hope you and others
>> can
>> come together with us to figure this out. It will not be easy. The only
>> people who like to be changed are wet babies. Our governor has created
>> change. It is now up to us to reassert ourselves and retake the change
>> process for blind people. I, for 1 am confident we can do it. I also
>> believe it will take some time and a lot of hard work in the halls of the
>> legislature and on the streets.
>>
>> If you made it this far, thank you for your attention. I look forward to
>> a
>> spirited and productive conversation about how to deal with what seems a
>> tragic turn of events.
>>
>> Best Regards,
>>
>> Fred
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: nfbmi-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org
>> [mailto:nfbmi-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org]
>> On Behalf of Mark Smith
>> Sent: Saturday, February 25, 2012 1:14 PM
>> To: 'NFB of Michigan Internet Mailing List'
>> Subject: Re: [nfbmi-talk] Decentralization of the Commission
>>
>> Hello Fred,
>> I am not gloating nor am I being smug, I apologize if this is how my
>> Previous message came across. I am seeing the forest for the trees,
>> calling
>> the cards as they have fallen. Frankly as a advocate for persons with
>> disabilities and a person with a visual impairment myself it pains me
>> deeply
>> to see the mantel of authority for a esteemed agency be passed to a
>> department that is not solely vested to do the work for our community.
>> The
>> fact is that the group who is the most vocal in our state has not chosen
>> to
>> come to the table so to say like adults.
>> When someone who is not deeply vested or has immersed themselves in
>> Michigan blind politics views the situation, What they see is a group
>> of
>> squabbling children. When an outside elected official views the situation
>> along with the dialog from the consumer groups, finally mixing the
>> recent
>> reports the facts do not mesh. As with any good parent you fire the baby
>> sitter and hire a new one. This is what is happening now.
>> The primary purpose of MCB is to empower persons who are blind or
>> have a visual impairment so that they can become taxpaying citizens.
>> Please
>> do not forget this fact, do not cloak it in pretty words. The old
>> analogy
>> is to, give a person a fish they eat for a day. Teach a person to fish
>> and
>> they can eat for the rest of their life. How many times do some people
>> need
>> to be re-taught to fish? I had once heard a quote from Einstein he
>> said
>> that "to do the same experiment over and over, expecting a different
>> result
>> is insanity." So things needed to be changed, with the lack of a
>> productive
>> plan our governor provided one. I certainly do not feel that this was a
>> proper course of action or positive development for our community.
>> However
>> I am capable of reading the table as it is set right now.
>> I choose to see this as an opportunity to make a break from the old
>> ways. The castle building that you describe is always going to be in our
>> government, this will only change when the fundamental system is altered.
>> You are not keeping in mind though that the government is being shrunk
>> and
>> only the strong nobles will remain standing after the hammer stops
>> swinging.
>> Consolidation and making the system as cost effective as possible is the
>> mantra today. This move as I mentioned in my previous message is the
>> most
>> logical for the government now. The thought of your destruction of civil
>> liberties was never part of the decision process. You are making it
>> personal when it is not so. Come to the table in the frame of mind to
>> make
>> things work for the community, solidarity is the answer and the point of
>> power right now.
>> Mark
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: nfbmi-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org
>> [mailto:nfbmi-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org]
>> On Behalf Of Fred Wurtzel
>> Sent: Saturday, February 25, 2012 11:52 AM
>> To: 'NFB of Michigan Internet Mailing List'
>> Subject: Re: [nfbmi-talk] Decentralization of the Commission
>>
>> Hello Mark,
>>
>> I do not know who you are. You sure sound smug and a little gloating. I
>> guess we ought to expect this from people who do not understand the
>> nature
>> of why there is an agency for the blind. It is not simply a conduit to
>> spread federal money to self-interested bureaucrats for their
>> agrandizement
>> and empire building. This money is to empower people who have little or
>> no
>> power. It is exactly this lack of power that allows the faint
>> acknowledgement of people's goals for first-class citizenship to be so
>> casually disposed of. This is 1 more insult and insult to blind people
>> in a
>> landscape of centuries of similar insults. We have dignity and we will
>> not
>> accept this as our fate. We have fought this fight before and we will
>> fight
>> it again. We may suffer other setbacks, but we will not ever give up on
>> recognition of our right to first-class citizenship.
>>
>> Regards,
>>
>> Fred
>>
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: nfbmi-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org
>> [mailto:nfbmi-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org]
>> On Behalf Of Mark Smith
>> Sent: Saturday, February 25, 2012 11:14 AM
>> To: 'NFB of Michigan Internet Mailing List'
>> Subject: Re: [nfbmi-talk] Decentralization of the Commission
>>
>> Hello Larry,
>> Both groups advocated this move by proxy. If no one provides a
>> positive critically thought out solution, you are part of the problem. I
>> have more than 500 messages from this list from the past few months that
>> absolutely unequivocally call for the destruction of MCB in its current
>> incarnation. I do not see one positive critically thought out solution.
>> I
>> see only the rare call by Christine boone providing a bit of well thought
>> out clarification or if necessary admonishment of a member in a gentle
>> and
>> kind way.
>> Coming from the business world this move that the Governor is taking
>> appears to be a solid one. He is taking what appears publically to be
>> two
>> agencies that are not functioning in an efficient manor, moving them to
>> the
>> most logical place where they will leverage the assets of one another
>> along
>> with enhancing their own already established organizations. In addition
>> the
>> removal of a program that has smelled of nepotism and insider trading is
>> being placed where it makes the most logical sense, the department who
>> handles the states ways and means.
>> Only a short sighted person would or could say that the MCB board is
>> NOT the most dysfunctional group that has ever existed. One only has to
>> sit
>> in a meeting for about two minutes to realize that it is run by amateurs
>> and
>> attended by a group of circus clowns. The lack of human dignity and
>> respect
>> alone calls for its destruction. The most eloquent and efficient way to
>> do
>> this is to dismantle the entire organization. Take what is working, give
>> it
>> to a different management team,, then eliminate the parts that are
>> disfunctioning , establish a new legally appointed board to satisfy the
>> law,
>> and move on.
>> So you got your wish, the change that you have been calling for is
>> here. The bureaucrats in this state are currently hunkering under their
>> desks right now just wondering where the next hammer blow is going to
>> come
>> from. The word on the street is that no one has seen this many laws fly
>> through the legislature this fast in a very long time. Go lawyer up and
>> bring up a case. Before it gets anywhere , you will see the law change.
>> The most interesting evidence for the promotion of that change will be
>> your
>> own words and arguments that you have been lodging against MCB for oh
>> about
>> the last ten years or so.
>> The only question left is; is this going to be good for the blind
>> and persons with visual impairment community in our state? This is a
>> very
>> treacherous and mine field ridden question. On one hand if it is
>> business
>> as usual I think that it is going to be very bad for our community. I
>> feel
>> that the credibility is in the toilet bowl and the voice is horse, people
>> are sick of hearing the bitching and griping without any real answers
>> that
>> call for bringing the community together. On the other hand it could be
>> something that rises like a phoenix from the fires of destruction welding
>> our community together in a positive way. Power is in solidarity not in
>> division. Stop the juvenile antics and come to the table like
>> professionals
>> with critically thought out questions and possible reasonable solutions,
>> ready to negotiate and give and take a little. Sound a lot like what our
>> federal government should do as well. Lol Mark
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: nfbmi-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org
>> [mailto:nfbmi-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org]
>> On Behalf Of Larry D. Keeler
>> Sent: Saturday, February 25, 2012 8:01 AM
>> To: NFB of Michigan Internet Mailing List
>> Subject: [nfbmi-talk] Decentralization of the Commission
>>
>> It is my oppinion that none of us from iether organization of blind
>> comsumers advocates this shocking move by our estemed Governor. I didn't
>> nor will ever vote for him. That aside, to my knowledge, NFB never
>> advocated the abolishment of the Commission. We constantly called for
>> reform in order to serv its clients, blind folks the way it waas meant
>> to.
>> I am stunned that this is happening! I am not really sorry about its
>> director being out of a job but otherwise, I think this is appalling!
>> How
>> can us blind folks fight for ourselves when our services will be devided
>> across the board? If our Board of Commissioners is abolished, how can we
>> continue having a real say in how our tazx dollars get spent on
>> blindness?
>> I also know many folks in the Commission who are decent folks and truely
>> want to better our lot. Having dealt with DHS in a semiproffessional and
>> personal capacity, I truely don't have a clue how they plan to have
>> access
>> to the services they are supposed to be providing. And what of BEP? For
>> all its faults, it has provided many blind folks iether with a means to
>> make
>> a living or as a start to move up and really be able to contribute to the
>> tax pool. Again, I want to make it clear that in my perception, us in
>> NFB
>> never!! called for decentralization!! I believe we will always fight
>> against coruption and abuse of the system whereever it occurs! Dhis
>> decentralization is disastrous for all of us!
>> Intelligence is always claimed but rarely proven!
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>
>
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