[Vendorsmi] Business Enterprise Program Being Given Away

[Joe Sontag]

Why not leave State Plate on the bidline while doing whatever evaluation 
seems necessary, then act in the best interests of the Program and its 
licensees?  It seems somebody's been listening to us and the few on the EOC 
that get it; and the bidline updates stand as the proof.

While the official announcement says EOC members are welcome to appear in 
person, this is a public meeting that is taking place in a room large enough 
for more than the entire EOC and BEP staff, so show up in person if you care 
about the BEP, want to get to know Ed Rodgers or what ever else moves you. 
I dare Zanger, Hull or anyone else to try to turn me away from the meeting 
just because I'm not on the Eoc.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Terry Eagle" <terrydeagle at yahoo.com>
To: "'Joe Sontag'" <suncat0 at gmail.com>; "'NFB of Michigan Vendors List'" 
<vendorsmi at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Friday, October 12, 2012 19:03
Subject: RE: [Vendorsmi] Business Enterprise Program Being Given Away


> 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
>
>