From suncat0 at gmail.com Mon Aug 15 18:42:15 2011 From: suncat0 at gmail.com (Joe Sontag) Date: Mon, 15 Aug 2011 14:42:15 -0400 Subject: [Vendorsmi] Fw: Question about Grand Rapids Justice Building followup Message-ID: <6B29685834E6402EB3F5E604045B3793@Alphacat> This is my last message on the matter, to which there has been no response to date. ----- Original Message ----- From: Joe Sontag To: Zanger, Connie (DELEG) Sent: Tuesday, August 09, 2011 00:22 Subject: Re: Question about Grand Rapids Justice Building followup It seems highly unlikely that any reversal of the transfers that have taken place could occur legally under our promulgated rules, nor does it seem the Agency is acting prudently by making GR Justice unavailable to a licensed operator unnecessarily. If there is a logical reason for keeping a licensed operator out of GR Justice, then the explanation should be simple; and it is doubtful that anyone would be asking questions now if only that explanation had been given at the time the decision was taken to withhold this facility from the bid process late last year. Rules should be followed, appropriately amended or abolished, but they might as well not exist if there are no serious consequences for breaking them. The issue of trust has come up at nearly every meeting of the ad hoc Committee, and it is cases such as this one that only feed the fires - when the known facts say something more than or different from what is said by management. Joe Sontag ----- Original Message ----- From: Zanger, Connie (DELEG) To: 'Joe Sontag' Cc: Hull, James (DELEG) ; Edmonds, Lucy (DELEG) Sent: Friday, August 05, 2011 17:28 Subject: RE: Question about Grand Rapids Justice Building followup Thank you, Joe, for your follow-up comments. With the clarifications regarding final agency decisions offered to the Commission Board at their last meeting, it becomes even more important for the Agency provide methods and opportunities to resolve any operator hearing request in a manner permissible under promulgated rule. While the Sheila Stelmach matter is still pending a final agency decision, the Commission will continue to act prudently regardless of the parties' inability to reach reconciliation. It is certainly not the Commission's intent to prevent, or even to appear to prevent, an individual from being properly awarded an available location. We have no vested interest in circumventing the established award procedure. As you are well versed in the promulgated rules and Program policies, you know they do not permit the Commission to hold a location for a specific individual. The issue of temporary operator delinquency in report and payment responsibilities is also of concern to the Agency. In mid-July, promotional agents were directed to work on resolving this issue by developing a plan for contacting these temporary operators to resolve the outstanding reports and set-aside fees. A bi-weekly report of their progress in this matter is provided to the program manager. Best always, Constance Zanger Business Enterprise Program Manager Michigan Commission for the Blind 517/335.3639 517/335.5140 (facsimile) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ From: Joe Sontag [mailto:suncat0 at gmail.com] Sent: Thursday, August 04, 2011 7:13 AM To: Zanger, Connie (DELEG) Subject: Re: Question about Grand Rapids Justice Building followup I now understand why GR Justice was held back last December, but I must say that any advantage or possible opportunity for a settlement vanished when the Grayling and Kalamazoo routes were awarded. To continue holding the GR Justice facility from the bid process at this stage gives the appearance of setting it aside for a specific person, not to mention the growing awareness of the issue of temporary operator delinquency in reporting and payments to the BEP. ----- Original Message ----- From: Zanger, Connie (DELEG) To: 'Joe Sontag' Cc: Hull, James (DELEG) ; Edmonds, Lucy (DELEG) Sent: Wednesday, August 03, 2011 12:28 Subject: Question about Grand Rapids Justice Building Hello, Joe; Lucy relayed to me that you had called, asking why the Grand Rapids Justice Building is not on the bid line. That facility will not be on the bid line and will be managed by a temporary operator until the Commission Board makes a final agency decision in the Sheila Stelmach matter. You are invited to contact me or James Hull at 335.3639 if you have further questions or desire additional information. Best regards, Constance Zanger Business Enterprise Program Manager Michigan Commission for the Blind 517/335.3639 517/335.5140 (facsimile) That which we think is that which we become -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From suncat0 at gmail.com Mon Aug 15 18:36:10 2011 From: suncat0 at gmail.com (Joe Sontag) Date: Mon, 15 Aug 2011 14:36:10 -0400 Subject: [Vendorsmi] Fw: Question about Grand Rapids Justice Building followup Message-ID: <2F28E58286D44488B20D0047F8350B11@Alphacat> The Grand Rapids Justice facility has provided a good opportunity for a licensed vendor to build and demonstrate their skills and earn useful income, yet it has been declared unavailable by the Business Enterprise Program management since early last December and is being run by an unregulated temporary operator. The explanation offered is vague at best and totally unsatisfactory. ----- Original Message ----- From: Joe Sontag To: Zanger, Connie (DELEG) Sent: Thursday, August 04, 2011 07:13 Subject: Re: Question about Grand Rapids Justice Building followup I now understand why GR Justice was held back last December, but I must say that any advantage or possible opportunity for a settlement vanished when the Grayling and Kalamazoo routes were awarded. To continue holding the GR Justice facility from the bid process at this stage gives the appearance of setting it aside for a specific person, not to mention the growing awareness of the issue of temporary operator delinquency in reporting and payments to the BEP. ----- Original Message ----- From: Zanger, Connie (DELEG) To: 'Joe Sontag' Cc: Hull, James (DELEG) ; Edmonds, Lucy (DELEG) Sent: Wednesday, August 03, 2011 12:28 Subject: Question about Grand Rapids Justice Building Hello, Joe; Lucy relayed to me that you had called, asking why the Grand Rapids Justice Building is not on the bid line. That facility will not be on the bid line and will be managed by a temporary operator until the Commission Board makes a final agency decision in the Sheila Stelmach matter. You are invited to contact me or James Hull at 335.3639 if you have further questions or desire additional information. Best regards, Constance Zanger Business Enterprise Program Manager Michigan Commission for the Blind 517/335.3639 517/335.5140 (facsimile) That which we think is that which we become -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From suncat0 at gmail.com Mon Aug 15 18:40:29 2011 From: suncat0 at gmail.com (Joe Sontag) Date: Mon, 15 Aug 2011 14:40:29 -0400 Subject: [Vendorsmi] Fw: Question about Grand Rapids Justice Building followup Message-ID: <8768DF206DB34F51A7AABB1E76EC0F07@Alphacat> The response. ----- Original Message ----- From: Zanger, Connie (DELEG) To: 'Joe Sontag' Cc: Hull, James (DELEG) ; Edmonds, Lucy (DELEG) Sent: Friday, August 05, 2011 17:28 Subject: RE: Question about Grand Rapids Justice Building followup Thank you, Joe, for your follow-up comments. With the clarifications regarding final agency decisions offered to the Commission Board at their last meeting, it becomes even more important for the Agency provide methods and opportunities to resolve any operator hearing request in a manner permissible under promulgated rule. While the Sheila Stelmach matter is still pending a final agency decision, the Commission will continue to act prudently regardless of the parties' inability to reach reconciliation. It is certainly not the Commission's intent to prevent, or even to appear to prevent, an individual from being properly awarded an available location. We have no vested interest in circumventing the established award procedure. As you are well versed in the promulgated rules and Program policies, you know they do not permit the Commission to hold a location for a specific individual. The issue of temporary operator delinquency in report and payment responsibilities is also of concern to the Agency. In mid-July, promotional agents were directed to work on resolving this issue by developing a plan for contacting these temporary operators to resolve the outstanding reports and set-aside fees. A bi-weekly report of their progress in this matter is provided to the program manager. Best always, Constance Zanger Business Enterprise Program Manager Michigan Commission for the Blind 517/335.3639 517/335.5140 (facsimile) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Joe Sontag [mailto:suncat0 at gmail.com] Sent: Thursday, August 04, 2011 7:13 AM To: Zanger, Connie (DELEG) Subject: Re: Question about Grand Rapids Justice Building followup I now understand why GR Justice was held back last December, but I must say that any advantage or possible opportunity for a settlement vanished when the Grayling and Kalamazoo routes were awarded. To continue holding the GR Justice facility from the bid process at this stage gives the appearance of setting it aside for a specific person, not to mention the growing awareness of the issue of temporary operator delinquency in reporting and payments to the BEP. ----- Original Message ----- From: Zanger, Connie (DELEG) To: 'Joe Sontag' Cc: Hull, James (DELEG) ; Edmonds, Lucy (DELEG) Sent: Wednesday, August 03, 2011 12:28 Subject: Question about Grand Rapids Justice Building Hello, Joe; Lucy relayed to me that you had called, asking why the Grand Rapids Justice Building is not on the bid line. That facility will not be on the bid line and will be managed by a temporary operator until the Commission Board makes a final agency decision in the Sheila Stelmach matter. You are invited to contact me or James Hull at 335.3639 if you have further questions or desire additional information. Best regards, Constance Zanger Business Enterprise Program Manager Michigan Commission for the Blind 517/335.3639 517/335.5140 (facsimile) That which we think is that which we become -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: