[nfbmi-talk] Fw: bsbp and flint water crisis

[David Robinson]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: joe harcz Comcast 
To: David Robinson NFB MI 
Cc: Eleanor Canter ; Darma Canter ; Larry Posont NFBMI Pres. ; BRIAN SABOURIN ; Marlene Malloy MCRS Dir. ; Mary Ann Robinson NFB MI ; Georgia Kitchen FANFB ; Sarah Gravetti MISILC DNM 
Sent: Monday, February 08, 2016 9:09 AM
Subject: Fw: bsbp and flint water crisis


Pretty short on specifics here.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: Rodgers, Edward (LARA) 
To: joe harcz Comcast 
Cc: Zimmer, Mike (LARA) ; Pemble, Mike (LARA) ; bsabour at mpas.org ; sara at dnmichigan.org ; Kisiel, Lisa (LARA) ; White, Elizabeth (LARA) ; Luzenski, Sue (LARA) ; Belknap, Katie (LARA) 
Sent: Monday, February 08, 2016 9:04 AM
Subject: RE: bsbp and flint water crisis


Good morning Mr. Harcz,

 

Please be advised that staff from BSBP have been involved in the effort to inform Flint residents of the information necessary to help in the Flint water crises.  The regional manager for Vocational Rehabilitation Services, which is responsible for the Flint area, has been working diligently to contact current blind clients to ensure they have received any available information.  In addition, members of the BSBP staff have been involved in the ongoing effort which has gone door to door in the Flint area to inform citizens of the information being disseminated by newspapers, television stations and radio.  BSBP has an annual grant that has been given to the National Federation of the Blind to make newspapers accessible to Michigan's blind citizens through Newsline.

 

Any specific questions you may have I can refer to the Vocational Rehabilitation staff that has been involved in this effort.  

 

 

Edward F. Rodgers II J.D.

Director

Bureau of Services for Blind Persons

 

 

 

From: joe harcz Comcast [mailto:joeharcz at comcast.net] 
Sent: Monday, February 08, 2016 7:55 AM
To: Rodgers, Edward (LARA)
Cc: Mike Pemble BSBP Dep. Dir.; Zimmer, Mike (LARA); Larry Posont NFBMI Pres.; Mary Ann Robinson NFB MI; Georgia Kitchen FANFB; David Robinson NFB MI; terry Eagle; Mark Eagle; Sarah Gravetti MISILC DNM; Marlene Malloy MCRS Dir.; Rodney Craig MISILC; Christyne.Cavataio at ed.gov; BRIAN SABOURIN; Elmer Cerano MPAS
Subject: bsbp and flint water crisis

 

February 8 2016 to Rodgers Flint Water Crisis Accommodations for Blind

 

Paul Joseph Harcz, Jr.

1365 E. Mt. Morris Rd.

Mt. Morris, MI 48458

joeharcz at comcast.net

810-516-5262

 

Re: What Are You Doing?

To: Ed Rodgers, Director

Mich. Bureau Services for Blind Persons

(Via e-mail)

 

Dear Mr. Rodgers,

 

As the Director of the lead agency for blind people in the State of Michigan I have some questions related to BSBP's efforts to assist people who are blind in Flint and indeed Genesee County.

 

For example, your agency has data and discrete information about blind citizens of this count. So has BSBP acted affirmatively to send out any information in accessible formats to even one person who is blind about resources, etc.?

 

Has BSBP done anything about ensuring ththat other agencies including DHHS makes all of its information fully accessible to blind citizens including where to get lead testing kits and how to make those materials concerning how to use them accessible? Or has it done anything about making videos related to this fully accessible? Has BSBP sent out any of its Vision Rehab Therapists to homes to show people the alternate techniques of acquiring and installing filters, lead testing, and even just how to get water?

 

Has BSBP done one thing to assist blind residents about anything including in its own Flint Office building where now Lt. Gov. Calley is working?

Also, what proactive role has BSBP ever engaged in related to emergency preparedness and people who are blind? Please give me even one example.

 

 

In that regards would you please remit to me any and all correspondences between you, anyone within BSBP and anyone in state government concerning BSBP and its efforts related to the Flint Water Crisis.

 

Oh, yes and please send those to me in a fully accessible format and without delay or surcharge. You know the requirements under Section 504 and the ADA and you know my most accessible format.

By the way I'm a blind resident of this county and deal in Flint all the time and I live just three miles from the Flint City limits. I've received nothing.

 

 

Sincerely,

 

Paul Joseph Harcz, Jr.

 

Cc: NFB MI

Cc: Mike Zimmer, LARA

Cc: RSA

Cc: MCRS

Cc: MPAS

Cc: MSILC

Cc: several