[nfbmi-talk] Fw: FOIA Response to Request for Information on "Who Is That Licensed Operator (Anderson Building)?" with Attachment

Mon Jun 2 16:24:40 UTC 2014

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Haynes, Carla (LARA) 
To: joe harcz Comcast 
Cc: Rodgers, Edward (LARA) ; Luzenski, Sue (LARA) ; Pemble, Mike (LARA) ; Belknap, Katie (LARA) ; Essenberg, Rob (LARA) ; Zanger, Connie (LARA) ; Hull, James (LARA) 
Sent: Monday, June 02, 2014 12:21 PM
Subject: RE: FOIA Response to Request for Information on "Who Is That Licensed Operator (Anderson Building)?" with Attachment

Hello,

Sorry, I forgot to attached the letter below to my previous email.

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

From: Haynes, Carla (LARA) 
Sent: Monday, June 02, 2014 12:20 PM
To: 'joe harcz Comcast'
Cc: Rodgers, Edward (LARA); Luzenski, Sue (LARA); Pemble, Mike (LARA); Belknap, Katie (LARA); Essenberg, Rob (LARA); 'zangerc at michigan.gov'; Hull, James (LARA)
Subject: FOIA Response to Request for Information on "Who Is That Licensed Operator (Anderson Building)?"

June 2, 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 "Who Is That Licensed Operator?"

Dear Mr. Harcz, Jr.:

This email is in response to your May 24, 2014, email request for information, received by this office on May 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:

"1. You have given me no name of just who the temporary operator is, and I am requesting the licensing agreement.", "4. No one has remitted the actual capital expenses to me or the public for this fiasco and I ask for them once again.". "5. I wish to know the starting inventory, product and cash for this venture." and "6. I want all memorandums of understanding, contracts or other agreements with the private sector parties referenced in BSBP press releases including MSU Dairy, Grand Traverse Pie Company and the Michigan Restaurant Association."

In regards to the name of the temporary operator, Ms. Constance Zanger responded to your question on May 30, 2014, via email with information pertinent to that question.

FOIA Response - P.J. Harcz, Jr.

June 2, 2014

Page 2 of 2

In regards to your request for the additional information above, in order to determine the extent of the research time, the size and number of records of nonexempt information within BSBP responsive to your request, a search must be undertaken.  For this reason, it is necessary to extend the time for response, as permitted by Section 5(2)(d) of the FOIA, through June 13, 2014.

If it is determined that there is a cost involved in the processing of this request, you will be sent an email which will include an invoice outlining 

that cost (before or no later than June 13, 2014).  This email may either request a deposit (if the cost is over $50.00) or request payment of the total cost if the amount is under $50.00.

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

Rob Essenberg. Constance Zanger, James Hull

From: joe harcz Comcast [mailto:joeharcz at comcast.net]  

Sent: Saturday, May 24, 2014 7:53 AM 

To: Rodgers, Edward (LARA) 

Cc: Zimmer, Mike (LARA); Christyne.Cavataio at ed.gov; Marlene Malloy MCRS Dir.; BRIAN SABOURIN; 

nfbmi-talk at nfbnet.org 

Subject: Fw: "who is that licensed operator?"

----- Original Message ----- 

From: joe harcz Comcast 

To: Zanger, Connie (LARA) 

Sent: Saturday, May 24, 2014 7:50 AM

Subject: Re: "who is that licensed operator?"

Dear Ms. Zanger,

1. You have given me no name of just who the temporary operator is, and I am requesting the licensing agreement.

2. Isn't it a stark violation of BEP promulgated rules to remove the building from the bidline?

3. Isn't it a violation of PA 260 and rules to manage and staff an operation with civil servants paid for with copious VR funds including Mr. Essenberg, Ms. Newman and several non-blind student assistants   well into six figures per annum? I mean Essenberg has been making $104,000 per year alone.

4. No one has remitted the actual capital expenses to me or the public for this fiasco and I ask for them once again. Your inventories are required to be up to date and accurat and readily available by the Auditor General's findings.

5. I wish to kno the starting inventory, product and cash for this venture.

6. I Want all memorandums of understanding, contracts or other agreements with the private sector parties referenced in BSBP press releases including MSU Dairy, Grand Traverse Pie Company and the 

Michigan Restaurant Association.

It seems to me with such a large publicly funded staff to run this operation answers to these simple questions should be readily available. The public has the right to know just how public funds are expended especially in a legislative office building.

Sincerely,

Paul Joseph Harcz, Jr.

cc: several

----- Original Message ----- 

From: Zanger, Connie (LARA) 

To: joe harcz Comcast (joeharcz at comcast.net) 

Sent: Thursday, May 22, 2014 12:44 PM

Subject: "who is that licensed operator?"

Dear Mr. Harcz:

Director Rodgers has asked me to respond to your recent e-mail message 

of Friday, May 17, 2014, at 3:05 p.m.  Be advised the Anderson Office 

Building was on the B E P telephony bid line from 5 p.m. on April 1, 2014, 

through noon on April 15, 2014.  No qualified operators expressed an 

interest in or placed a bid on the facility during that 2 week period. 

As no qualified operator expressed an interest or placed a bid, a temporary operator with a blind worker is in the facility.  The facility is jointly managed by this temporary operator and the Business Assistance and Development Program (B A D P) manager, a former successful licensed blind operator.  

Sincerely,

Constance Zanger

Business Enterprise Program Manager

Bureau of Services for Blind Persons

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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