[nfbmi-talk] no response to date older blind questions

[joe harcz Comcast]

July 10 2014 Re-iterated Request for Answers 7ob

 

 

To:

Edward Rodgers

Leemon Jones

Mike Pemble

BSBP

 

Gentlemen,

 

Please se attached letter after my signature line related to the dramatic drop in people served in the Older Blind program by your agency in spite of having more money at your disposal from the prior year. Now, I would think three weeks would be enough time to answer some simple and basic questions about this program alone, yet I haven’t had a written response at all.

For the record I am again requesting a written explanation.

 

Sincerely,

 

Paul Joseph Harcz, Jr.

 

Cc: MI SILC

Cc: TB, RSA

Cc: NFB MI

Cc: several

 

Attachment:

 

 

June 16 2014 BSBP 7OB Prior Year Questions

 

 

Paul Joseph Harcz, Jr.

1365 E. Mt. Morris Rd.

Mt. Morris, MI  48458

joeharcz at comcast.net

810-516-5262

 

To:

Edward F. Rodgers, Director

Michigan Bureau Services for Blind Persons

Leemon Jones, BSBP

Mike Pemble, Deputy Director BSBP

Susan Luzenski Administrative Assistant, BSBP

(Via E-mail)

 

All,

 

I direct your attention to the following segment of the RSA 7OB report for Fiscal Year 2013 (which was the first year of operation of the new bureau after the ludicrous Executive Order 2012-10):

 

 

 

 

“Part V: Comparison of Prior Year Activities to Current Reported Year

 

A. Activity

 

Table with 4 columns and 7 rows

  

a) Prior Year

b) Reported FY

c) Change ( + / - )

1. Program Cost (all sources)

1,127,478

1,293,245

165,767

2. Number of Individuals Served

1,022

438

-584

3. Number of Minority Individuals Served

244

63

-181

4. Number of Community Awareness Activities

77

107

30

5. Number of Collaborating agencies and organizations

12

14

2

6. Number of Sub-grantees

1

1



table end

 

 

 

 

 

Source:

https://rsa.ed.gov/includes/export-html.cfm?filename=tmp-8430604b33e77518bd832670535939302745.html&exportto=print&utf16=1

 

“

 

How do you all explain such a dramatic drop of elderly blind persons served in excess of 50 percent while you had the same basic revenues under this program as did the defunct Michigan Commission for the Blind in the previous year?

 

How does this jive with the Governor’s contention that when he destroyed the Commission through the Executive Order that the same level of services will be maintained?

 

People legal blindness is growing, the need is growing especially among the elderly yet it appears on its face that resources are not being used to serve Michigander’s who are blind and elderly even on the level of FY 2012.

 

This is quite outrageous by any measure and needs a thorough explanation and accountability.

 

Sincerely,

 

Paul Joseph Harcz, Jr.

Cc: Sarah Ggravetti, Chair SILC

Cc: Valarie Barnum-Yargar, ED, MI SILC

Cc: NFB MI

Cc: TB, RSA

Cc: CAP/MAPS

Cc: BSBP Commissioners

Cc: MCRS