[nfbmi-talk] Fw: FOIA Response to Request for BSBP Commission forBlind Persons- Transcripts/Minutes & Reports

Thu Feb 20 23:27:27 UTC 2014

And when it relates to a meeting of a VR entity these things are not FOIA 
requests but are required underh the ADA andSection 504 to be issued 
affirmatively let alone upon request in the most effective format for the 
individual.

The ADA and 504 are federal civil rights laws and trump the abuse of FOIA.

Great work by the way Dave!
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "David Robinson" <drob1946 at gmail.com>
To: "NFB of Michigan Internet Mailing List" <nfbmi-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Thursday, February 20, 2014 4:26 PM
Subject: [nfbmi-talk] Fw: FOIA Response to Request for BSBP Commission 
forBlind Persons- Transcripts/Minutes & Reports

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Haynes, Carla (LARA)
To: David Robinson
Cc: Rodgers, Edward (LARA) ; Luzenski, Sue (LARA) ; Pemble, Mike (LARA) ; 
Belknap, Katie (LARA)
Sent: Thursday, February 20, 2014 10:06 AM
Subject: FOIA Response to Request for BSBP Commission for Blind Persons- 
Transcripts/Minutes & Reports

February 20, 2014

Mr. David Robinson

E-mail: drob1946 at gmail.com

818 Loomis Street

Jackson, MI  49202

Re:  FOIA Response to Request for Information on BSBP Commission 
Transcripts/Minutes and Reports

Dear Mr. Robinson:

This email is in response to your February 7, 2014, email request for 
information, received by this office on February 10, 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.  On February 14, 2014, an extension was taken on this request to 
March 3, 2014, as permitted by Section 5(2)(d) of the FOIA.

You have requested information you describe as:

"I would like to request that your report to the advisory commission along 
with any additional reports from BSBP staff be forwarded to me in an 
accessible format for me. I would accept either electronic information in 
word or in braille.  In addition, I would request that the approved minutes 
of meetings be sent to me as well. Likewise in an electronic or braille 
format."

Your request is granted as to existing, nonexempt records that pertain to 
your request.  In regards to the report(s) to the BSBP Advisory Commission 
on February 7, 2014, attached to this response/email are two reports that 
were presented to the BSBP Commission for Blind Persons at this meeting.

FOIA Response - D. Robinson

February 20, 2014

Page 2 of 2

In regards to the BSBP Commission for Blind Persons approved 
minutes/transcripts, these are available on our website at 
www.michigan.gov/bsbp, Commission for Blind Persons, Transcripts, 2013 
Transcripts, then by meeting date.  As of this writing, all approved 
transcripts/minutes are available on this website.

The FOIA cost to produce the two reports is $7.84 (calculated by using 
$31.37 which is the hourly wage plus fringe benefits of the Department's 
lowest paid employee capable of processing this request multiplied by the 
amount of time to process this request which is ¼ of an hour = $7.84).  As 
this amount is below the Department threshold of $25.00 for charging costs 
involved in complying with a FOIA request, this FOIA fee is being waived.

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.

Sincerely,

Carla Miller Haynes, FOIA Coordinator

Bureau of Services for Blind Persons

Attachment:  Email Request for Information

cc:     Edward F. Rodgers II

Sue Luzenski

          Mike Pemble

Katie Belknap

From: David Robinson [mailto:drob1946 at gmail.com]

Sent: Friday, February 07, 2014 1:57 PM

To: Rodgers, Edward (LARA)

Cc: NFB of Michigan Internet Mailing List

Subject: request for reports and minutes

Dear Mr. Rodgers,

   Having listened to the BSBP meeting of Friday, February 7, I was 
interested in some additional data.  I would like to request that your 
report to the advisory commission along with any additional reports from 
BSBP staff be forwarded to me in an accessible format for me. I would accept 
either electronic information in word or in braille.

   In addition, I would request that the approved minutes of meetings be 
sent to me as well. Likewise in an electronic or braille format.

   This is just a request for public documents by a member of the public and 
not a FOIA request. My e mail is (drob1946 at gmail.com)  My address is 818 
Loomis St.  Jackson, Mi  49202.

   Thank you for your prompt response to this request.

Cordially,

David Robinson

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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