[Vendorsmi] [nfbmi-talk] Fw: EOC SPECIAL MEETING JAN. 14th

Mon Jan 9 00:24:42 UTC 2012

this is what we need to right  more on from larry posont
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Fred Wurtzel" <f.wurtzel at att.net>
To: "'Joe Sontag'" <suncat0 at gmail.com>; "'NFB of Michigan Internet Mailing List'" <nfbmi-talk at nfbnet.org>; "'Commission Mole'" 
<mcbmole at gmail.com>; "'James Chaney'" <resolutioncomm at sbcglobal.net>
Cc: "'James Hull'" <hullj at michigan.gov>; "'Steve Arwood'" <arwoods at michigan.gov>; "'Michigan Comm for the Blind Vision 20/20 List'" 
<MCB2020-L at LISTSERV.MICHIGAN.GOV>; "'Connie Zanger'" <ZangerC at michigan.gov>; "'Patrick Cannon'" <CannonP at michigan.gov>; "'Lucy 
Edmonds'" <EdmondsL2 at michigan.gov>; "'NFB of Michigan Vendors List'" <vendorsmi at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Saturday, January 07, 2012 2:12 AM
Subject: Re: [Vendorsmi] [nfbmi-talk] Fw: EOC SPECIAL MEETING JAN. 14th

Hello,

Unlike the mole, I will stand up with Joe Sontag and speak the truth.  The
"mole" is onto a good idea, here.  Director Cannon will not stand up for
blind people and refuse to cooperate in the further diminishment of the
reputations and competence of blind people.  Isn't it kind of his job to
build a program that showcases the abilities of blind people?  Retreat from
catering and operation of the very high visibility State plate betrays our
entire population.

Given the expressed and illegally conceived plan to eliminate a formal
trainer, it seems that MCB has given up on blind people to operate
professional businesses.  It needs to be clearly stated  that BEP
desperately needs a knowledgeable, dedicated trainer to plan and carry out a
credible training program for new and existing operators.  From catering to
vending machine repair the need for a trainer is fundamental to success.
There are no competent foodservice companies that do not have qualified
trainers for in-house staff and for franchisees.  In my opinion, despite
indications to the contrary, Connie is perfectly capable of hiring and
supervising such a qualified person. She is highly intelligent and skilled
in administration.  She understands the fundamentals of customer service.
She understands blindness. Connie will grasp and work diligently to
accomplish a goal set by her supervisor.  I can only conclude that it is
still Pat Cannon that is thwarting real progress in BEP.

After all, it is Pat's job to see to it that BEP fulfills its obligations
under the law.  He loves it that fingers are pointed at others, though he is
the one who is truly responsible.  He has demonstrated his willingness to
throw others under the bus to save himself.    Closing or contracting out
the State Plate to a sighted person or company would violate the law, as did
closing the McNamara food court.  As law judges, RSA and citizens have
identified, following the law, like informing the Elected Committee of plans
to eliminate a trainer or contract out the State Plate demonstrate is not a
priority at MCB.

There is a profound lack of leadership and imagination at work at the top of
MCB.  How much longer will this travesty be tolerated by the Snyder
Administration?  I still have confidence in Governor Snyder.  We need to
step up efforts to inform him that his vision of data-driven and transparent
government is not practiced within MCB.  With $25 million to spend the best
the Commission can envision is placement of 170 persons in a year.  The
Director said in a recent Commission meeting that he did not know how many
people are being served.  I guess $120 thousand is not enough to make him
bother with his main goal, getting jobs for blind people.

I don't know who the mole is.  I encourage it to identify itself.  Anonymity
is not the most effective means of creating change.  In view of the fear and
intimidation practiced by Director Cannon it is kind of understandable, but
sad.  I hope it will at least tell the Governor, the press, its legislator,
(if moles are allowed to vote) and anyone who will listen what it knows
about MCB leadership.

It appears that the new Horizons arrangements will possibly be the straw
that starts the undoing of things at MCB.    Doesn't it seem strange that
the Director states he is taking advice from New Horizons attorneys about
conflict of interest. How can it be rationalized that a Commission
supervisor who controls money is on that same board, how can this be
overlooked by an administration with high values of transparency and ethics?
Then, New Horizons attorneys attempt to intimidate the NFB.  What is this?
How blatant can behavior be before someone takes notice?

Everyone knows how poorly MCB is being managed.  As time goes on, more
people will speak up.  Eventually, the Snyder people will get tired of this
sorry performance.  I hope they don't punish blind people further by
reacting against the Commission and blind business people, but rather
acknowledge the true problem.  There are many of us who believe in the
ideals and ideas of the Commission law.  There are plenty of good people to
do the work.  there is plenty of money to do the work with.  The only
missing ingredient, like the leavening in bread, is leadership.

Sincerely,

Fred

-----Original Message-----
From: nfbmi-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nfbmi-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org]
On Behalf Of Joe Sontag
Sent: Friday, January 06, 2012 3:01 PM
To: Commission Mole; James Chaney
Cc: James Hull; Daniel Frye; Steve Arwood; Connie Zanger; NFB of Michigan
List; Patrick Cannon; Lucy Edmonds; NFB of Michigan Vendors List; Terry
Eagle
Subject: [nfbmi-talk] Fw: EOC SPECIAL MEETING JAN. 14th

    I truly do not know who this "mole" is, so it will do Mr. Cannon no good
to slander and defame me in front of witnesses as he has done in the past,
but I agree with and support fully the statements and motions contained in
the mole's message below.

Remember what happened the last time we found ourselves with a major
government facility vacant in late 2009?  The Fountain View facility in
Detroit was turned over on a temporary basis to a private contractor, even
as the Elected Operators Committee was told that nothing would be done until
the EOC had been provided with  the full details and had given its response.
In other words, the Committee and the operators as a group had been lied to
by BEP administration.  If you really care about the future of the BEP and
do not wish to see it destroyed, then please share this message as you see
fit.

Sincerely and using the names Mr. Cannon gave me,

Joe (McCarthy-Coward-Chickenshit) Sontag

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Commission Mole
To: suncat0 at gmail.com
Sent: Thursday, January 05, 2012 21:43
Subject: Fwd: EOC SPECIAL MEETING JAN. 14th

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Commission Mole <mcbmole at gmail.com>
Date: Thu, Jan 5, 2012 at 9:21 PM
Subject: EOC SPECIAL MEETING JAN. 14th
To: James Chaney <resolutioncomm at sbcglobal.net>

Dear James Chaney (EOC Chair):

As a former employee of the Michigan Commission for the Blind, I have worked
closely with the central office staff on a routine basis while executing my
duties of that position. During my tenure with the Commission, I saw the
many negative decisions made regarding blind citizens of Michigan.
Unfortunately, I have once again come to be appalled by the decisions made
against the blind by a commission titled "for the Blind". Most recently, I
have become aware of a possible policy shift that undermines the EOC, BEP,
MCB and the blind of Michigan. I am referring to the EOC Special meeting
that is scheduled to be held on January 14, 2012 regarding the State Plate
Cafeteria.

If the EOC moves to contract out the State Plate to the private sector they
will not only eliminate many jobs for the blind, but they will also set a
dangerous precedent in the appearance of the EOC Chair along with EOC
members, ALL MCB commissioners and agency staff allowing for unqualified
sighted persons being placed above blind qualified persons which I am sure
is not the intended view. This brings me to my next point within this highly
controversial correspondence. The only sensible solution to the State Plate
Cafeteria matter is to put a highly qualified blind operator into this
location.

The following is a motion that should be introduced by the EOC leadership at
the January 14th 2012 meeting.

Motion 1: We move to immediately reinstate Terry Eagle as a permanent
operator and to award him the State Plate Cafeteria.

Motion 2: Upon accepting this location Terry Eagle agrees to a six month
probationary period under the promulgated rules.

In closing, I highly recommend the acceptance of the above mentioned motions
in order to follow by the mission statement of the commission and truly be
the Michigan Commission "for the Blind" and not viewed as the commission
against the Blind by unruly allowing this very profitable location to be
contracted out to the private sector or other unqualified or under qualified
individuals.

Sincerely,

The Commission Mole

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