[nfbmi-talk] Fw: FOIA Response to Request for Information on Anderson Building Equipment

Wed Jun 18 20:11:16 UTC 2014

This is the typical response to account for hundreds of thousands of dollars in equipment purchased with VR funds and used in violation of Public Act 260, and the Rehabilitation Act.

Is there no shame here?

By the way according to the Michigan Auditor General's Report of the BEP program BSBP was supposed to put systems in place where this was accountable and "at their finger tips".

Joe Harcz
----- Original Message ----- 
From: Haynes, Carla (LARA) 
To: joe harcz Comcast 
Cc: Rodgers, Edward (LARA) ; Luzenski, Sue (LARA) ; Pemble, Mike (LARA) ; Belknap, Katie (LARA) ; Zanger, Connie (LARA) ; Essenberg, Rob (LARA) 
Sent: Wednesday, June 18, 2014 3:58 PM
Subject: FOIA Response to Request for Information on Anderson Building Equipment

June 18, 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 Anderson Building Equipment

Dear Mr. Harcz, Jr.:

This email is in response to your May 27, 2014, email request for information, received by this office on May 28, 2014, of which an extension was taken to June 16, 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:

".I am asking for a complete breakdown of the inventory in the Anderson Building. In addition I am asking for a complete accounting of all the equipment that was in said Anderson Building in February of 2012, where it went and simply what happened to it?"

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

We estimate that the time to process this request is 8 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 18, 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 $125.48 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

          Constance Zanger

          Rob Essenberg

          James Hull

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:  May 28, 2014

TYPE OF REQUEST:  Email

REQUEST PARTIALLY DENIED:  No

EXEMPT INFORMATION WITHHELD/REDACTED:  To be determined

EXTENDED RESPONSE NOTICE ISSUED:  Yes to June 16, 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:

".I am asking for a complete breakdown of the inventory in the Anderson Building. In addition I am asking for a complete accounting of all the equipment that was in said Anderson Building in February of 2012, where it went and simply what happened to it?"

"

INVOICE CALCULATIONS

LABOR 

          Locating and Duplicating Cost:  

Number of Hours:  7 hrs. x Hourly Rate: $31.37 = Amount:      $219.59

          Examining and Extracting Cost:  

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

TOTAL LABOR:           $250.96

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:  $125.48

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

INVOICE TOTAL:        $125.48

DEPOSIT* $125.48

BALANCE TO BE PAID*:     $125.48

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: Tuesday, May 27, 2014 8:58 AM 

To: Rodgers, Edward (LARA) 

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

nfbmi-talk at nfbnet.org; BSBPcommissioners; commissioner-hudson at outlook.com; Joe Sibley MCBVI 

Pres.; Marlene Malloy MCRS Dir.; BRIAN SABOURIN 

Subject: accounting anderson building equipment

May 27 2014 Elliot and other Anderson Building Accounting

Paul Joseph Harcz, Jr.

1365 E. Mt. Morris Rd.

Mt. Morris, MI  48458

810-516-5262

joeharcz at comcast.net

To:

Edward Rodgers, BSBP Director, DSU

Michael Zimmer, LARA, DSA

Mike Pemble, Deputy Director, BSBP

All,

Please note after my signature line Capital Equipment purchases (partial) that I assume are in the so-called ""Cora's Café" in the Michigan House Office Building which is supposed to be a BEP location for a licensed operator under PA 260.

Regardless as per the 2012 audit of the Michigan Auditor General BSBP was to have in place a system for readily identifying all purchases and continued inventory accounting of such equipment. Thus I am asking for a complete breakdown of the inventory in the Anderson Building. In addition I am asking for a complete accounting of all the equipment that was in said Anderson Building in February of 2012, where it went and simply what happened to it?

This shouldn't be so difficult for you astute fiduciaries to handle. After all these are taxpayer funds involved here.

Thank you in advance for your prompt response and accurate accounting of the public's funds.

Sincerely,

Paul Joseph Harcz, Jr.

Cc: NFB

Cc: several media

Cc: several legislators

Cc: RSA

Cc: MCRS

Cc: BSBP Commissioners

Cc: MPAS

Attachment:

Source:

http://media.state.mi.us/MiTransparency/Vendor/Warrants?y=2014&v=ELLIOTT%20FOOD%2

0EQUIPMENT%20LLC&a=641&g=Capital%20Acquisitions%20and%20Rentals&Column=Wa

rrantDate&Direction=Descending

Mi Transparency - Payments to a Vendor by Agency and Category

Link to Michigan.gov

Michigan.gov

Transparency & Accountability Home |

Contact Us |

FAQs

State Expenditures and Accountability Information

Welcome to the State of Michigan's accountability Web site, where the citizens of Michigan can find information on state expenditures. Government transparency

and fiscal accountability are defining principles of Michigan state government. We continue to explore new opportunities for expanding information through

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DMB-Contact-OFM at michigan.gov.

List of 4 items

State Expenditures by Category

State Expenditures by Appropriation Unit

Vendor Payments»

Tax Expenditure Reports

list end

Payments to a Vendor by Agency and Category

Payments to ELLIOTT FOOD EQUIPMENT LLC by LICENSING AND REGULATORY 

AFFAIRS for fiscal year 2014

Table with 4 columns and 5 rows

Agency Name

Category Description

Warrant Date

Payments Total

LICENSING AND REGULATORY AFFAIRS

Capital Acquisitions and Rentals

5/19/2014

$117,583.50

LICENSING AND REGULATORY AFFAIRS

Capital Acquisitions and Rentals

5/6/2014

$8,000.00

LICENSING AND REGULATORY AFFAIRS

Capital Acquisitions and Rentals

5/2/2014

$10,650.00

LICENSING AND REGULATORY AFFAIRS

Capital Acquisitions and Rentals

4/1/2014

$8,000.00

table end

Showing 1 - 4 of 4

Download Excel Spreadsheet Version of Results

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Related Links

List of 10 items

. Michigan Recovery and Reinvestment Plan (ARRA)

. Active Employees by Department

. Definitions of Expenditure Categories

. DTMB Purchasing Operations Contract List

Excel icon

. Executive Budget

. State Budget Office Financial Reports

. State Budget Office Frequently Asked Questions

. Annual Workforce Reports

. Civil Service Job Specifications and Wage Rates

. Economic Development Projects

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Copyright © 2001-2012 State of Michigan

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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