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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Since when are Connie zanger and James Hull
representatives of the EOC?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>And just who told operators either individually or
collectively that they couldn't contact the Governor? </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>That's a fundamental violation of the First
Amendment rights of all citizens including those who happen to be
blind.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Not that some folks including some who are blind
give a rip!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Oh yes and we still have a MCB Board in place
including Mr. Posont, Mr. Scott, and Ms. Shuck.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>What are they chopped liver here?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Joe Harcz</FONT></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE
style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=suncat0@gmail.com href="mailto:suncat0@gmail.com">Joe Sontag</A>
</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=vendorsmi@nfbnet.org
href="mailto:vendorsmi@nfbnet.org">VENDORSMI List</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Tuesday, April 24, 2012 1:40
PM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> [Vendorsmi] Meeting with Mike
Zimmer</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Just a few questions from yours
truly:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Why is this meeting not more widely known, given
the importance of the subject to all operators? Why are many of the same
people who dropped the ball at the 2011 meeting with Steve Arwood being
allowed to represent us again at this most crucial meeting with Mr. Arwood's
boss? Who's going to be doing the talking for the BEP at this meeting
and exactly what will they talk about?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Other questions could be raised, but you get the
picture.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Here is what I received as I received it.
Read em and act.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>----- Original Message -----<BR>From:<BR>Rob
Essenberg<BR>To:<BR>Andrea Nelson<BR> ;<BR>Dale
Layer<BR> ;<BR>Garnet Prentice<BR> ;<BR>Greg
Keathley<BR> ;<BR>Hazell Brooks<BR> ;<BR>Kevin
Tomczak<BR> ;<BR>Nathan Prater<BR> ;<BR>Risa
Patrick-Langtry<BR> ;<BR>Shane Jackson<BR> ;<BR>James
Chaney<BR>Cc:<BR>Rob Essenberg<BR> ;<BR>James
Hull<BR> ;<BR>Constance Zanger<BR> ;<BR>Larry Posont<BR>Sent:
Tuesday, April 24, 2012 12:37 PM<BR>Subject: meeting with Mike Zimmer<BR>To my
fellow Elected Operators,<BR>I’m writing to inform you of our latest contact
with the Snyder Administration. Last<BR>week Thursday, after a phone call from
Hazell Brooks asking me if I thought it was<BR>time to approach the governors
administration regarding the executive order concerning<BR>the Commission for
the Blind., I told her I thought it probably was time and I would<BR>check
with James Chaney to see how he wanted to proceed. After speaking with
Mr.<BR>Chaney, we decided to write a letter to Mike Zimmer asking for a
meeting between<BR>himself and Representatives from the Elected Operators
Committee.<BR>Mr. Chaney directed me to draft the letter. After several
revisions, James Chaney,<BR>Hazell Brooks and Constance Zanger approved the
content of the letter, which is attached<BR>for your reference. The letter was
sent out on Friday afternoon, April 20, 2012 and<BR>within a couple of hours
we had a response back from Mr. Zimmer. The response was<BR>as follows:<BR>Mr.
Essenberg:<BR>Thank you very much for reaching out on behalf of the Elected
Operators Committee.<BR>I think it is an excellent idea that we meet, by
teleconference or in person, to<BR>discuss where we are heading, possible
approaches, and implementation issues.<BR>With this email, I am asking my
assistant, Rita Jenks, to set something up at a time<BR>that is convenient for
you and whoever you would like to participate.<BR>Mike Zimmer<BR>Hello Mr.
Zimmer<BR>Please find attached a document with some concerns of the Elected
Operators Committee.<BR>Sincerely,<BR>Robert Essenberg<BR>Vice Chair, Elected
Operators Committee<BR>We have set a meeting date with Mr. Zimmer. It will be
Tuesday, May 1<BR>st<BR>. James Chaney, Hazell Brooks, Greg Keithley, James
Hull, Constance Zanger and myself<BR>will be attending the meeting.<BR>Further
updates on this meeting and the executive order should be forth
coming.<BR>Sincerely,<BR>Robert Essenberg<BR>Vice Chair. Elected Operated
Committee<BR></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>April 20, 2012</DIV>
<DIV>
<P align=justify></P>
<P>Good Afternoon Mr. Zimmer,<BR><BR>I am writing to you on behalf of the
Chair of the Elected Operators Committee James Chaney, and the other ten
members of the committee, including myself. Our body has stayed relatively
silent on the subject of the Governor's order, because we were told when the
initial order came out not to contact the Governor's office regarding that
topic. </P>
<P align=justify></P>
<P align=justify>We believe that given the current circumstances, we as the
leadership of the Elected Operators should be allowed to voice our opinion.
This executive order the Governor has created to facilitate a more streamlined
Commission and Business Enterprise Program is going to effect all 79 operators
substantially<B>.</B> We think that our input as the elected representatives
of these 79 folks who are running food service operations in state and federal
buildings should be allowed, so that we may voice our concerns and our wishes
before the executive order is executed. </P>
<P align=justify></P>
<P align=justify>We understand the National Federation of the Blind of
Michigan, as well as President Larry Posont, has had meetings on this topic
with the Governor's staff, as well as different legislators here in Lansing.
Their viewpoints may not be representative of all of our 79 vendors. We
recognize the excellent work the NFB does on behalf of blind consumers,
although the EOC would like the opportunity to express their views as the
elected representatives of the blind vendors of Michigan. The NFB plays an
advisory role to the EOC and the BEP through it’s presence on the Ad Hoc
Committee. Our committee,<FONT color=#ff0000> </FONT>like the operators as a
whole, is also responsible for working with the agency in developing the
training programs necessary to create good food service operations in the
state and federal buildings, which we believe is a concern of the Governor's
office.</P>
<P align=justify></P>
<P align=justify>We believe it is necessary that we are involved in the
conversations to design the new model going forward between now and October
1st. We respectfully request a phone conference between your office and the
Elected Operators Committee be established so our viewpoints and concerns can
be raised before the Executive Order is enacted and/or the final design of the
structure of the organization is completed.</P>
<P align=justify></P>
<P align=justify>Please feel free to contact me at <U><FONT
color=#0000ff>rob.essenberg@yahoo.com</U></FONT> or 231-638-2036, or James
Chaney at <U><FONT color=#0000ff>resolutioncomm@sbcglobal.net</U></FONT> or
313-213-7795.</P>
<P align=justify></P>
<P align=justify> </P>
<P align=justify>Sincerely,</P>
<P align=justify></P>
<P align=justify>Robert Essenberg</P>
<P align=justify>Vice Chair, Elected Operators Committee</P>
<P align=justify></P>
<P align=justify> </P>
<P align=justify>RLE/gmj</P></DIV></FONT>
<P>
<HR>
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