[Vendorsmi] Business Enterprise Program Being Given Away

[Terry Eagle]

UPDATE:  There is now a new announcement on the Operator Information Line
that states the Anderson Building cafeteria was removed from the Operator
Bid Line so that the new B S for Blind Persons Director Ed Rodgers can
"review" the Anderson Building operation, and following the "review" the
Anderson Building Cafeteria will be returned to the bid line.

Does it not make you wonder what there is to review about the Anderson
Building operation, since there has not been an operation open for the past
ten months?  Is this removal needed to find a way to give away a job from a
qualified blind person, or is it an opportunity to figure out how to deal
with the already expressed resistance of the EOC and the NFB to allow the
giveaway of BEP locations by the new director of B S for Blind Persons to
the private sector  because there is no confidence in and supportive
attitude  toward blind persons?     

In addition, did you also notice that the two bidders on the Anderson
Building Cafeteria location were withheld from the announcement?  An
oversight, right?  No way.  In fact, one operator who is waiting on the
potential list to return from an approved medical leave was found
ineligible, get this, for not attending the last workshop while on medical
leave.  Is that not creative of Constance Zanger and James Hull, in order to
first, stop an operator from returning to the program, and secondly, to
prevent awarding an operator a location simply because they have a past axe
to grind with the operator, for winning a grievance in a hearing, based upon
the illegal and unethical act by Constance Zanger, having to do with
operator audits.  Zanger and Hull will go to any extent to retaliate against
a targeted operator, including unofficially rewriting the rules as they did
here, and giving away a mandated location to the private sector, so they did
not have to assign a targeted operator to that location, according to the
rules.  Watch out, your location likely is next, that is, if you allow these
illegal and unethical acts by the new B S for Blind Persons
, and Zanger and Hull.  In the end, you will get and have that which you
fight to protect and preserve.  Just sit back and be an observer, and you
will have nothing left of the Business Enterprise Program.

Your best interest by the agency gets even better--get this:  The Operator
Information Line has an announcement billed as an opportunity to meet the
new B S for Blind Persons director, Ed Rodgers on Monday, October 22nd at
three o'clock in the afternoon.  Yes, that time is correct, three o'clock in
the afternoon, just when you are expected by Zanger and Hull, and according
to your signed facility agreement, to be at your facility and open until
four o'clock in the afternoon.  Dare to close early to lose income, like
anyone could afford to do that, and attend the meeting, and your licensed
will be revoked guaranteed, that is, if your on Zanger and Hull's target
list, or don't enjoy a close relationship with either.

Does not the scheduling of a three o'clock week day meeting to meet the
director seem strange to you, a BEP operator, who is expected to be at your
facility and open until four o'clock?  It certainly sends a few negative
messages to BEP operators.  1) Just perhaps the truth is that you are not
wanted at the meeting;  2) With a three o'clock meeting time, where is the
sincerity to really meet you;  3) It sends the message that new director of
B S for Blind Persons is going to be an eight to five, Monday through
Friday, come to me to meet, office type of bureaucrat.  This is already
clear from the new director's desire to not attend a meeting of blind
consumers on a Saturday or Sunday; 4)  You as BEP operators just likely will
ask reasonable questions of the new director, and equally demand truthful
factual answers to those questions.

I'm sure these comments will cost me getting a cafeteria location.  Oh yeah,
that's right, the "Terry Eagle Clause" is in effect, and now it has been
extended to another Eagle.  Thanks Connie, James, and Pat Cannon.

  
-----Original Message-----
From: Vendorsmi [mailto:vendorsmi-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Joe
Sontag
Sent: Thursday, October 11, 2012 4:35 PM
To: VENDORSMI List
Cc: garsvend at comcast.net; Shane Jackson; nathanual at att.net; steven langtry;
Robert Essenberg; James Chaney; Garnet Prentice; Greg Keathley; Hazell
Brooks; Lisa L. Weber; Dale Layer; momandmikey at hotmail.com
Subject: [Vendorsmi] Business Enterprise Program Being Given Away

If you've checked the bidline announcement recently, you may have
noticed that the Anderson Building Cafeteria, AKA the State Plate is not
among the
listed facilities.  I have it from a credible source that Ed Rodgers, the
new Director
of the Bureau of Services for Blind Persons has ordered the facility removed
from
the bidline and has turned it over to the Michigan House of Representatives,
saying
that PA260 of 1978 does not apply.  Were any of you on the Elected
Operators' Committee
informed that anything like this was coming?  Why is the Committee not
demanding answers and holding an emergency meeting for the purpose of
finding facts and taking a stand for the Program and its licensees?  Do you
not realize that the most profitable facilities on State property will be
the first to be taken if the EOC and those who voted for them just sit on
their hands and let  the State Plate be given away to the private sector?

If you have factual knowledge about any of this, please share it with all of
us who care
about the BEP, as the future of the Program depends on it.  You can reach me
by replying to this message.  If the State Plate is
lost, can all of the remaining State facilities be far behind?  I won't
reveal my
source; and no, I'm not joking about any of this.
Joe Sontag