<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
<HTML><HEAD>
<META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1">
<META content="MSHTML 6.00.2900.6197" name=GENERATOR>
<STYLE></STYLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY bgColor=#ffffff>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>This is one of the most well written if not most
well received, sadly, things I've ever read.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>It goes not only to the BEP program hhere, but,
also to fundamentals of democracy and even basics of fair play.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>In a word, things are simply "goofy" here in
Michigan.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>And one need not be a noted member of either NFB,
nor of ACB and nor of the CIA for that matter to figure out that the system is
run by sellouts and other ne'er do wells to say the least.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Mr. Eagle's words here are not only articulate and
profound, but ecoe around the nation.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></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> Monday, April 30, 2012 12:55
PM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> [Vendorsmi] Letter from NFB
Merchants to EOC</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I am pleased to share with you the following
letter from Terry Eagle, President of the National Association of Blind
Merchants of Michigan to the Elected Operators' Committee. EOC
leadership has been going to some trouble lately to imply that our
organization does not represent the best interests of the Business Enterprise
Program and its operators. What's wrong with the ideas below? Your
comments are welcome.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Dear Elected Operators’ Committee Members<BR>I am
writing on behalf of our association membership. This communication is
in response<BR>to a planned meeting with Mr. Zimmer with select members of the
EOC, with absolutely<BR>no discussion on the matter by the entire body, which
appears strange at best to<BR>have a meeting that claims to be representative
of the elected body. Additionally,<BR>we are responding because of
reference by Mr. Essenberg, that the views of the organized<BR>blind of the
NFB, and NFBMM somehow do not reflect the views of blind licensees.<BR>We do
not reasonably understand how such a conclusion could be reached, absent
any<BR>discussion or consensus on the topic of the executive order by the
entire EOC representative<BR>body.<BR>Below you will be introduced to what we
refer to as the baker’s dozen of core values,<BR>principles, and best business
and program practices, which summarize our views for<BR>the administration of
the Michigan Business Enterprise Program.<BR>As a collective organization of
blind business persons, we envision a Business Enterprise<BR>Pro gram that
provides meaningful and financially rewarding business opportunities<BR>for
the blind, including the following:<BR>1. Program management that are
qualified, and competent in business planning and<BR>management, financial and
other resource management that is responsible, transparent,<BR>and
accountable, knowledge and appreciation of the skills and abilities
associated<BR>with blindness, the ability to inspire and build teamwork and
personal achievement,<BR>and the ability to administer in a fair, transparent,
and accountable manner, with<BR>uniform application and compliance with state
and federal program laws, rules and<BR>regulations, policies and
procedures;<BR>2. Routinely and timely provide training materials,
policy and procedure manuals,<BR>memorandum and letters, documents and
records, plans and proposals, announcements,<BR>meeting agendas and minutes,
and other printed and electronic materials in a useable<BR>format for the
blind, including Braille and large print, according to
identified<BR>individual preference, in compliance with applicable laws, rules
and regulations,<BR>policies and procedures;<BR>3. Business locations
that offer a blind licensee a profitable business return and<BR>independent
living income, and contributing to society with many talents and
skills,<BR>and financially contributing to federal, state, and municipal
treasuries, through<BR>payments of self-employment, income, sales and employer
taxes, rather than being<BR>tax takers on public social welfare
programs;<BR>4. Innovative up-to-date facilities that reflect current
trends in the industry<BR>and are appealing and inviting to guests and
potential guests;<BR>5. Ongoing evaluation and development of new and
existing business locations, for<BR>the expansion of the program, and
profitable business opportunities and independent<BR>living income generation
for the blind;<BR>6. Equipment for business efficiency and
profitability, that reflect excellence<BR>in selection of appropriateness,
functionality, and adequate for the business type<BR>and plan, with routine
and ongoing maintenance, repair, and replacement, to achieve<BR>maximum
profitability through emerging business innovation, industry trends,
and<BR>use of technology in the business, that is accessible by blind
licensees, employees,<BR>and guests;<BR>7. Adequate level of inventory
and profitable product mix and selection;<BR>8. appropriate, adequate,
and meaningful initial and ongoing in-service training,<BR>including a program
position dedicated for the sole purpose of training of blind<BR>persons as
potential licensees, and the ongoing in-service training of
licensees;<BR>9. The utilization of the Business Enterprise Support Team
(BEST), for newly placed<BR>licensees, and existing licensees experiencing
identifiable business or personal<BR>challenges and training
needs;<BR>10. Supportive promotional staff that are qualified in
business, and are appropriately,<BR>and adequately trained, including
knowledge of skills and abilities associated with<BR>blindness, to support and
timely respond to licensee and business location needs;<BR>11.
Establishment and operation of a transparent, easily accessible and
verifiable,<BR>fair, and uniformly applied system for performance evaluation,
promotion and seniority<BR>point award and record-keeping system, and program
facility placement promotion and<BR>transfer policies and
procedures;<BR>12. A fair, unbiased, ethical, timely and responsive due
process administrative<BR>review and hearing system to address, attempt to
resolve, and adjudicate complaints<BR>and grievances of licensees and
potential blind licensees, in the administration<BR>of the Business enterprise
Program, including providing records, documents, exhibits,<BR>transcripts,
notices and administrative law judge recommended and final agency
decisions,<BR>and other printed and electronic materials in a useable format
for the blind, including<BR>Braille and large print, according to identified
individual preference, in compliance<BR>with applicable laws, rules and
regulations, policies and procedures, to achieve<BR>meaningful accessibility
and substantive and procedural due
process;<BR>13. Fairly and uniformly applied
program laws, rules and regulations, policies<BR>and procedures, to all
program licensees, trainees, potential licensees, and program<BR>staff,
without regard to affiliation, viewpoint, advocacy, disability,
religion,<BR>creed, national origin, age, race, gender, marital status, or
sexual orientation.<BR>Over the past five years, Failure to fairly and
uniformly operate the Business Enterprise<BR>Program under these core values,
principles, and best business and public service<BR>standards and practices,
without of favoritism and contempt for a person’s affiliation<BR>or a person
expressing his or her views, and speaking out against wrongdoing, has<BR>lead
to and created an environment resulting in distrust of the Commission
administration,<BR>program management, and Elected Operators’ Committee to act
in the best interest<BR>of the Business enterprise Program, potential and
existing blind licensees, and blind<BR>persons in general, including those
blind individuals on a list of available, qualified,<BR>and eager to work as
temporary licensees, and disregarded in favor of sighted persons<BR>being
employed, using and loss of resources intended for blind persons to be
gainfully<BR>employed. A distrust by and between licensees, staff,
management , and members of<BR>the Elected Operators; Committee, resulting in
poor or non-existent communication,<BR>breakdown in cooperation and lack of
teamwork, and obvious apathy, non-involvement,<BR>and a management created
sense of fear of intimidation, retaliation, and threat of<BR>and actual unfair
removal of licenses from the blind only. This environment is compounded<BR>by
the use of untrained, unmonitored, unaccountable sighted persons running
program<BR>facilities, whom ran down the business and inventory, and making
away with inventory<BR>funds , set-aside funds, and other financial , legal,
and treasury obligation funds,<BR>while blind licensees were ripped from their
facilities, businesses, and livelihood,<BR>while absolutely no compliance,
removal, or financial accountability and recovery<BR>action has been taken
against sighted licensees as of this date.<BR>The Commission administration
and Business Enterprise Program management do not stand<BR>alone with regard
to the creation and advancement of the current environment that<BR>surrounds
the low morale, apathy, and distrust within the program. The Elected
Operators’<BR>Committee bears equal responsibility for the environment that
exists. Here are a<BR>few examples of Elected Operators’ Committee
actions that have contributed to the<BR>current environment. The most
recent and ongoing is the inclusion of some EOC members<BR>in discussions,
meeting, and decisions, while other members are excluded on
important<BR>issues and decisions facing the program and operators future
livelihood. This situation<BR>includes the involvement of program
management in the drafting and “approval” of<BR>official EOC communications,
and not informing all EOC members of the intended action,<BR>and not
permitting an opportunity for input by all EOC members. Next, Mr.
ESSenberg<BR>stated that, “Our body [the EOC] has stayed relatively silent on
the subject of the<BR>Governor's order, because we were told when the initial
order came out not to contact<BR>the Governor's office regarding that
topic.” First, it is abundantly true the EOC<BR>has remained silent, had
no discussions, or formulated and adopted a position on<BR>the governor’s
executive order, and any statement on the impact it will bring upon<BR>the
program and the livelihood of blind licensees, or any recommendations for
most<BR>positive steps, if any, in the implementation of the intended
action. Further, Mr.<BR>Essenberg wrote, “I am writing to you on behalf
of the Chair of the Elected Operators<BR>Committee James Chaney, and the other
ten members of the committee, including myself.”<BR>Since Mr. Essenberg’s
statement above is true, then how is it possible for a few<BR>to write on
behalf of the other ten members? Moreover, how is it possible to
meet<BR>with Mr. Zimmer on a topic, claiming to represent the consensus of the
entire EOC,<BR>and present a viewpoint and possible solutions, when, in
reality, the entire body<BR>has remained silent on the topic of the executive
order? Additionally, how can the<BR>best interest of blind licensees be
openly discussed and represented with the program<BR>manager and assistant
manager in attendance? Given these facts and questions, at<BR>best, only
the personal views and opinions of a select few EOC members and
program<BR>management can be represented. And are these not the same
individuals scheduled<BR>to meet with Mr. Zimmer that met with MR. Arwood over
a year ago, and were supposed<BR>to have additional meetings that never took
place? and during that one meeting<BR>being informed by Mr.
Arwood, in clear unambiguous language, what actions were required<BR>and
expected for improvement of the Business Enterprise Program. Was not the
ball<BR>fumbled and lost by these individuals regarding this serious
matter? And now, these<BR>same select program management and EOC leaders
of blind licensees claim to represent<BR>the best interests of the entire EOC
and blind licensees, and expect the blind to<BR>entrust their future careers
and livelihood to the views, judgment, and actions of<BR>these select
individuals?<BR>Where have these representative individuals been during the
past sixty plus days?<BR>Are they elected advocates for and of the best
interests of blind licensees? That<BR>is what the program enabling
legislation and implementing regulations and administrative<BR>rules
envisioned and mandated by creation of the committee of blind licensees,
and<BR>guaranteeing “active participation” in decision-making that affect
blind licensees,<BR>in the administration of the program. Nowhere
is remaining silent mentioned, encouraged,<BR>suggested or demanded in the
creation and role of the committee of blind licensees.<BR>This especially is
true with regard to a topic with a life-altering and
potentially<BR>devastating impact upon the program and future careers and
livelihoods of blind licensees.<BR>Mr. Essenberg wrote, “. . . we were told
when the initial order came out not to contact<BR>the Governor's office
regarding that topic.“. DO you as the EOC leadership, care<BR>to
disclose who the “we” are in “we were told . . .” statement, and by whom
were<BR>“we told . . .”? This type of incomprehensible and nonsensical
explanation and advocacy<BR>inaction on this unprecedented serious topic
further erodes the confidence of blind<BR>licensees to trust the judgment and
motives of their elected representative body,<BR>and only reinforces the
common belief among blind licensees that their elected representatives<BR>act
at the beckon call of unidentified individuals, and doing whatever those
unidentified<BR>individuals say to do, in return for personal favoritism of a
select few, while ignoring<BR>the duty to advocate for the best interests of
all blind licensees. We believe such<BR>blind licensee distrust and
apathy is best and most recently demonstrated by the<BR>poor licensee
attendance at the annual workshop, and moreover, the poor participation<BR>in
voting in the election of EOC members. The truth is that blind licensees
believe<BR>they do not have a voice or representation in the active
participation in their futures<BR>and the administration of their program.
Blind licensees believe their program and<BR>futures have been hijacked, and
the program is on a course of crash and burn to incineration<BR>where nothing
remains of the Business enterprise Program.<BR>The National Association of
Blind Merchants of Michigan, and the National Federation<BR>of the Blind
collectively do not share that belief and assessment of the future of<BR>the
Business Enterprise Program. That is why over the past sixty plus days
we have<BR>undertaken a passionate campaign to meet and have an ongoing
conversation with elected<BR>and administration officials, to share with them
our stories, desires and dreams,<BR>ideas and suggestions, on the importance
and continued future of the Commission and<BR>Business Enterprise
Program. We will continue this campaign until the best interests<BR>of
blind citizens and blind licensees are served. We believe, at this point
our<BR>collective, visible, in-person contacts have had a substantial impact
on the decision<BR>to rescind the executive order to date. We are under
no illusion that this matter<BR>has disappeared, and we continue to be
diligent in our efforts to bring about the<BR>best result for the blind
of<BR>Michigan<BR>. As the nation’s oldest and largest organization of
blind citizens and blind merchants,<BR>we are highly recognized for our
expertise in matters of blindness and the administration<BR>of the
Randolph-Sheppard vending facility program, and vocational
rehabilitation<BR>programs for the blind.<BR>Mr. Essenberg wrote that, “Their
[the NFB’s] viewpoints may not be representative<BR>of all of our 79
vendors.” . Admittedly, while we the organized blind do not
pretend<BR>to represent each and every blind licensee as members of the
National Association<BR>of Blind Merchants of Michigan, our views and
expertise on matters of concern to<BR>blind licensees do in fact represent the
views and positions of a vast majority of<BR>blind licensees, and include our
views in the above baker’s dozen of core values,<BR>principles, and best
business and program practices, With regard to the administration<BR>of the
Michigan Business Enterprise Program for the blind.<BR>Several members and
supporters remember at time in the past when the BEP in Michigan<BR>was guided
and governed by core values, principles, and best business and
program<BR>practices very similar to, and a reflection of the baker’s dozen
above, and as a<BR>result Michigan ranked in the top five Business Enterprise
Programs in the nation,<BR>demonstrating excellence in virtually all
measurable program indicators. This was<BR>achieved by always asking the
following question in all matters of the BEP and EOC:<BR>“How will this be
beneficial for blind vendors and the program?”. Today, sadly
and<BR>unfortunately,<BR>Michigan<BR> ranks near the bottom, and is the
butt of many jokes throughout the country. Is<BR>there any wonder or
doubt about why the Business Enterprise Program in<BR>Michigan<BR> is
under a microscope, and the survival of the program hangs in the
balance?<BR>In Closing, we the organized blind of the National Association of
Blind merchants<BR>of<BR>Michigan<BR>, strongly urge you to not repeat the
previous performance that resulted from the<BR>2011 meeting with Mr.
Arwood. We urge you , before meeting with Mr. Zimmer, to reevaluate<BR>a
meeting with any number fewer than the entire EOC being present, and only EOC
members<BR>attend any meetings with MR. Zimmer. Also, since the EOC has
remained silent and<BR>inactive on the matter of Executive Order 2012-2, we
strongly suggest a full, open,<BR>and transparent discussion of the issues
involved, and the formulation of a consensus<BR>position, about the desired
future program. Finally, we offer our baker’s dozen<BR>outlined above,
as an effective framework for the desired future Business
Enterprise<BR>Program in<BR>Michigan.<BR>Respectfully,<BR>Terry D. Eagle,
President<BR>National Association of Blind Merchants of
Michigan<BR></DIV></FONT>
<P>
<HR>
<P></P>_______________________________________________<BR>Vendorsmi mailing
list<BR>Vendorsmi@nfbnet.org<BR>http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/vendorsmi_nfbnet.org<BR>To
unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
Vendorsmi:<BR>http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/vendorsmi_nfbnet.org/joeharcz%40comcast.net</BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>