[nfbmi-talk] Fw: Revised FOIA Response to Request for Information on New Horizons

[joe harcz Comcast]

Please don't blame me for being "redundent". Just send them as I get them.

This is but another insane gobbldegook and extortive response toa simple question about how tense of thousands of VR dollars are spent here in Michigan.

Joe Harcz
(As recieved just a few momentsago....
----- Original Message ----- 
From: Haynes, Carla (LARA) 
To: joe harcz Comcast 
Cc: Rodgers, Edward (LARA) ; Luzenski, Sue (LARA) ; Pemble, Mike (LARA) ; Belknap, Katie (LARA) ; Jones, Leamon (LARA) ; Gaston, Diamalyn (LARA) 
Sent: Friday, August 29, 2014 10:31 AM
Subject: Revised FOIA Response to Request for Information on New Horizons


August 29, 2014

 

Mr. Paul Joseph Harcz, Jr.

E-mail: joeharcz at comcast.net

1365 E. Mt. Morris Rd.

Mt. Morris, MI 48458

 

Re:  Revised FOIA Response to Request for Information on New Horizon Payments

 

Dear Mr. Harcz, Jr.:

 

This email is in response to your August 15, 2014, email request for information, received by this office on August 18, 2014.  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. 

 

You have requested information as described in your email (which is also below) as:

 

"Could you actually do your due diligence as highly paid public officials and briefly describe just what the services were delivered to customers of BSBP by New Horizons (see; public sources after signature line)?"  Note:  The listing of payments is contained in the email below.

 

A portion of this request was previously granted on June 20, 2014 (see document attached below), covering the payments listed of October 24, 2013, through January 28, 2014.

 

Please be advised that your request dated August 15, 2014, is being combined with your June 6, 2014, request and is granted.  As of this date, we have yet to receive your deposit for the June 6, 2014, request.  We estimate that the time to process your request will now be 20 hours, for both requests.

 

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 

FOIA Response - P.J. Harcz, Jr.

Page 2 of 2

August 29, 2014

 

 

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 deposit of $313.70 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 - 3:  Invoice, Email Request for Information & 6-20-14 FOIA Response

cc:     Edward F. Rodgers II

Sue Luzenski

          Mike Pemble

Katie Belknap

          Leamon Jones

          Diamalyn Gaston



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:  June 6, 2014 & August 15, 2014

TYPE OF REQUEST:  Email

REQUEST PARTIALLY DENIED:  No

EXEMPT INFORMATION WITHHELD/REDACTED:  To be determined

EXTENDED RESPONSE NOTICE ISSUED:  Yes through June 27, 2014 (for the first request)

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:

 

"Now I'm asking for explanations of any and all of the expenditures and the transparency of relationships of those cited iin the public record after my signature line here."  Note:  The listing is below in the original request."

 

and

 

"Could you actually do your due diligence as highly paid public officials and briefly describe just what the services were delivered to customers of BSBP by New Horizons (see; public sources after signature line)?"  Note:  The listing of payments is contained in the email below.

 

INVOICE CALCULATIONS

 

LABOR 

          Locating and Duplicating Cost:  

Number of Hours:  19 hrs. x Hourly Rate: $31.37 = Amount:    $596.03

          Examining and Extracting Cost:  

Number of Hours: 1 hrs. x Hourly Rate: $31.37 = Amount: $31.37

TOTAL LABOR:           $627.40

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:  $627.40

Less waived indigency fee under FOIA Act MCL 15.234 Section 4(1)       

 

INVOICE TOTAL:        $627.40

 

DEPOSIT* $313.70

 

BALANCE TO BE PAID*:     $313.70

 

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: Friday, August 15, 2014 10:05 AM 

To: Rodgers, Edward (LARA) 

Cc: Luzenski, Sue (LARA); Jones, Leamon (LARA); Zimmer, Mike (LARA); Christyne.Cavataio at ed.gov; 

Elmer Cerano MPAS; BRIAN SABOURIN; Marlene Malloy MCRS Dir.; nfbmi-talk at nfbnet.org 

Subject: new horizons simple inquiry

 

August 15 2014 New Horizons Questions

 

Paul Joseph Harcz, Jr.

1365 E. Mt. Morris Rd.

Mt. Morris, MI 48458

joeharcz at comcast.net

 

To:

 

Edward Rodgers

Leemon Jones

Michigan Bureau Services to Blind Persons

 

Dear Sirs,

 

Could you actually do your due diligence as highly paid public officials and briefly describe just what the services were delivered to customers of BSBP by New Horizons (see; public sources after signature line)?  People with disabilities and indeed the public wishes to know these things.

 

Thanks as always,

 

Paul Joseph Harcz, Jr.

 

Cc: NFB

Cc: MPAS

Cc: RSA

Cc: Zimmer, LARA/DSA

Cc: MCRS

 

Attachment:

 

Source:

http://media.state.mi.us/MiTransparency/Vendor/Warrants?y=2014&v=NEW%20HORIZONS%

20REHABILITATION%20SERVICES&a=641&g=Contractual%20Services%20Supplies%20and%20Materials&Column=WarrantDate&Direction=Descending

 

 

 

Payments to NEW HORIZONS REHABILITATION SERVICES by LICENSING AND 

REGULATORY AFFAIRS for fiscal year 2014

 

Table with 4 columns and 18 rows

Agency Name

Category Description

Warrant Date

Payments Total

LICENSING AND REGULATORY AFFAIRS

Contractual Services Supplies and Materials

8/1/2014

$2,526.00

LICENSING AND REGULATORY AFFAIRS

Contractual Services Supplies and Materials

7/8/2014

$600.00

LICENSING AND REGULATORY AFFAIRS

Contractual Services Supplies and Materials

6/23/2014

$2,526.00

LICENSING AND REGULATORY AFFAIRS

Contractual Services Supplies and Materials

5/30/2014

$2,526.00

LICENSING AND REGULATORY AFFAIRS

Contractual Services Supplies and Materials

4/25/2014

$600.00

LICENSING AND REGULATORY AFFAIRS

Contractual Services Supplies and Materials

4/17/2014

$2,846.00

LICENSING AND REGULATORY AFFAIRS

Contractual Services Supplies and Materials

4/4/2014

$1,732.00

LICENSING AND REGULATORY AFFAIRS

Contractual Services Supplies and Materials

4/1/2014

$2,526.00

LICENSING AND REGULATORY AFFAIRS

Contractual Services Supplies and Materials

3/18/2014

$700.00

LICENSING AND REGULATORY AFFAIRS

Contractual Services Supplies and Materials

3/6/2014

$2,526.00

LICENSING AND REGULATORY AFFAIRS

Contractual Services Supplies and Materials

1/28/2014

$544.00

LICENSING AND REGULATORY AFFAIRS

Contractual Services Supplies and Materials

1/21/2014

$1,566.00

LICENSING AND REGULATORY AFFAIRS

Contractual Services Supplies and Materials

1/16/2014

$5,052.00

LICENSING AND REGULATORY AFFAIRS

Contractual Services Supplies and Materials

12/17/2013

$2,526.00

LICENSING AND REGULATORY AFFAIRS

Contractual Services Supplies and Materials

12/13/2013

$2,526.00

LICENSING AND REGULATORY AFFAIRS

Contractual Services Supplies and Materials

11/26/2013

$5,052.00

LICENSING AND REGULATORY AFFAIRS

Contractual Services Supplies and Materials

10/24/2013

$1,925.20



 

June 20, 2014

 

Mr. Paul Joseph Harcz, Jr.

E-mail: joeharcz at comcast.net

1365 E. Mt. Morris Rd.

Mt. Morris, MI 48458

 

Re:  FOIA Response to Request for Information on New Horizons

 

Dear Mr. Harcz, Jr.:

 

This email is in response to your June 6, 2014, email request for information, received by this office on June 9, 2014, of which an extension was taken through June 27, 2014.  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. 

 

You have requested information as described in your email (which is also below) as:

 

"Now I'm asking for explanations of any and all of the expenditures and the transparency of relationships of those cited iin the public record after my signature line here."  Note:  The listing is below in the original request.

 

Your request is granted as to existing, nonexempt documents pertaining to your request. 

 

We estimate that the time to process this request is 15 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.

 

FOIA Response - P.J. Harcz, Jr.

Page 2 of 2

June 20, 2014

 

 

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 $235.27 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 & Request for Information

cc:     Edward F. Rodgers II, Sue Luzenski

          Mike Pemble, Katie Belknap

          Leamon Jones, Diamalyn Gaston

          Gwen McNeal



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:  June 9, 2014

TYPE OF REQUEST:  Email

REQUEST PARTIALLY DENIED:  No

EXEMPT INFORMATION WITHHELD/REDACTED:  To be determined

EXTENDED RESPONSE NOTICE ISSUED:  Yes through June 27, 2014

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:

 

""Now I'm asking for explanations of any and all of the expenditures and the transparency of relationships of those cited iin the public record after my signature line here."  Note:  The listing is below in the original request.

 

 

INVOICE CALCULATIONS

 

LABOR 

          Locating and Duplicating Cost:  

Number of Hours:  14 hrs. x Hourly Rate: $31.37 = Amount:    $439.18

          Examining and Extracting Cost:  

Number of Hours: 1 hrs. x Hourly Rate: $31.37 = Amount: $31.37

TOTAL LABOR:           $470.55

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:  $470.55

Less waived indigency fee under FOIA Act MCL 15.234 Section 4(1)       

 

INVOICE TOTAL:        $470.55

 

DEPOSIT* $235.27

 

BALANCE TO BE PAID*:     $235.28

 

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: Friday, June 06, 2014 8:46 PM 

To: Rodgers, Edward (LARA) 

Cc: Christyne.Cavataio at ed.gov; BSBPcommissioners; Luzenski, Sue (LARA); nfbmi-talk at nfbnet.org 

Subject: new horizons again?

 

June 6 2014 New Horizons Again?

 

Paul Joseph Harcz, Jr.

1365 E. Mt. Morris Rd.

Mt. Morris, MI 48458

810-516-5262

joeharcz at comcast.net

To: Edward Rodgers, Director

Bureau of Services to Blind Persons

Mike Pemble, BSBP

Mike Zimmer, LARA, DSA

S. Luzenski

Chrystyne Cativao, RSA

 

All,

 

Note that New Horizons was sited along with the former Michigan Commission for the Blind in its monitorring for "reverson to vendor" which thechnically is fraud upon the taxpayer if you'dcheck it out in the RSA monitorring report of 2009 of MCB. Note that

on BSBP alone I've denoted the inherentPayments to NEW HORIZONS  of any sort as conflicts of intersts as one Gwen Mcneal a federally funded state employee of BSBP/formerly MCB and area Supervisor of same has been on the Board of Directors of this same federally funded, community rehab org.

 

What gives here? The conflicts continue.

 

Now I'm asking for explanations of any and all of the expenditures and the transparency of relationships of those cited iin the public record after my signature line here.

 

(By the way the relillegal relationships between this CRP and former and current members of the SRC and other entities are so tight and so inherently inscestous that I'm surprised that all Michigangers aren't glowing in the dark and have other notable birth defects due to the intense and incestours relationships going on here.)

 

Joe Harcz

REHABILITATION SERVICES by LICENSING AND REGULATORY AFFAIRS for fiscal 

year 2014

 

Table with 4 columns and 8 rows

Agency Name

Category Description

Warrant Date

Payments Total

LICENSING AND REGULATORY AFFAIRS

Contractual Services Supplies and Materials

1/28/2014

$544.00

LICENSING AND REGULATORY AFFAIRS

Contractual Services Supplies and Materials

1/21/2014

$1,566.00

LICENSING AND REGULATORY AFFAIRS

Contractual Services Supplies and Materials

1/16/2014

$5,052.00

LICENSING AND REGULATORY AFFAIRS

Contractual Services Supplies and Materials

12/17/2013

$2,526.00

LICENSING AND REGULATORY AFFAIRS

Contractual Services Supplies and Materials

12/13/2013

$2,526.00

LICENSING AND REGULATORY AFFAIRS

Contractual Services Supplies and Materials

11/26/2013

$5,052.00

LICENSING AND REGULATORY AFFAIRS

Contractual Services Supplies and Materials

10/24/2013

$1,925.20

 

 

 

 

 

 

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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