[nfbmi-talk] Fw: Freedom of Information release

Fri Feb 19 19:13:55 UTC 2010

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Manning, Victoria (GOV)" <manningv at michigan.gov>
To: <president.nfb.mi at gmail.com>
Cc: "Stokes, Jim (GOV)" <stokesj at michigan.gov>; "Manning, Victoria (GOV)" 
<manningv at michigan.gov>
Sent: Friday, February 19, 2010 10:47 AM
Subject: FW: Freedom of Information release

February 19, 2010

Larry Posont
President
National Federation of the Blind of Michigan

Dear Mr. Posont:

I am writing in response to your Freedom of Information Act request for
records pertaining to Governor Granholm's appointments to the Michigan
Commission for the Blind (MCB) Board of Commissioners.  Included in your
request are the following records:

1) All applications for MCB Board of Commissioners positions
including letters of reference, support, and opposition.  All responses
to applications for Board of Commissioners positions, including phone
logs, notes and e-mail.  All correspondence, including e-mail, with
Director Patrick Cannon regarding any applicant, application,
appointment, and/or recommendation.  All correspondence to the Governor
from her staff, Patrick Cannon or others, related to applicants,
applications, deliberations about or appointments to the MCB Board of
Commissioners.

2) All correspondence between Director Patrick Cannon and staff of
the Governor's appointment office, including Jim Stokes and Amy Burton,
who may have worked on appointments to the MCB Board of Commissioners.

3) All correspondence, including e-mail, pertaining to appointments
to the MCB Board of Commissioners between the Governor's office and
directors, deputy directors, assistant directors, acting directors,
acting deputy directors, and acting assistant directors of the
Department of Labor, Department of Labor and Economic Growth and the
Department of Energy, Labor and Economic Growth.  Your request includes
but is not limited to: Director David Hollister, Director Skip Pruss and
Andy Levin.

4) All correspondence between the Governor's appointments office
and the Ethics Board related to the removal of Mark Eagle from the MCB
Board of Commissioners, including communications with Ethics Board
Chairman Lynn Jondahl and any members of the Ethics Board pertaining to
Mr. Eagle or Director Patrick Cannon.  All correspondence between the
Governor's appointments office and Director Patrick Cannon pertaining to
the removal of Mark Eagle from the Board of Commissioners.

5) All correspondence, e-mail or other documentation involving
Governor Granholm's transition team serving to move from the Engler
Administration to the Granholm Administration, including all items
involving the Commission for the Blind, the Board of Commissioners, its
members and their terms.

Michigan's Freedom of Information Act provides public access to certain
public records of public bodies.  A public body is defined in part as:
"A state officer, employee, agency, department, division, bureau, board,
commission, council, authority, or other body in the executive branch of
state government, but does not include the governor, lieutenant
governor, the executive office of the governor or lieutenant governor,
or employees thereof."  MCL 15.232(d)(i).  Accordingly, this office is
not subject to the requirements of the Act.

Further, as a matter of policy and consistent with the practice of prior
administrations, we do not release the identities and other information
regarding the many capable and qualified individuals who submit
applications but do not receive appointments from the Governor.  This
policy encourages the broadest possible range of qualified candidates
for gubernatorial appointments.

Finally, certain of the records you seek may be maintained by other
state departments and agencies.  The Michigan Commission for the Blind
is part of the Department of Energy, Labor and Economic Growth.  Patrick
Cannon in his role as Director of the Commission is an employee of that
department.  The Ethics Board is part of the Department of Management
and Budget.  If you have not already, you may wish to submit requests to
those departments.  If you have any questions, please feel free to
contact me at manningv at michigan.gov.

Sincerely yours,

Victoria Manning
Paralegal
Office of Legal Counsel

-----Original Message-----
From: Larry Posont [mailto:president.nfb.mi at gmail.com]
Sent: Friday, February 12, 2010 9:45 AM
To: Burton, Diane (DELEG); tona1 at michigan.gov; Stokes, Jim (GOV);
president.nfb.mi
Subject: Freedom of Information release

Dear Mr. Stokes:

I am writing as a continuation of the National Federation of the Blind
of Michigan's effort to reign in the outrageous and out of control
behavior of Michigan Commission for the Blind Director Patrick Cannon.
 As we mentioned in earlier correspondence, we feel we need more
transparency in the appointment process.  In this effort we wish to
ask for a Freedom of Information release of all documentation
pertaining to Commission for the Blind appointments during the
Granholm administration as follows:

All applications for Michigan Commission for the Blind Board positions
including letters of reference, support  and opposition. Any and all
responses to such applicants, including phone logs, notes and email
and their responses, if any.  Any correspondence (including email)
with Patrick Cannon regarding any applicant, application  or
appointment  and/or recommendation.  Any and all correspondence
between your office, staff or others, including Patrick Cannon,  to
Governor Granholm related to applicants, applications, deliberations
about or appointments to the Commission for the Blind Board.

All correspondence between Director Cannon and staff of the Governor's
appointment office, including you and Amy Burton and any other staff
who may have worked on Commission for the Blind appointments.

All correspondence (including email) that have the subject of
Commission for the Blind appointments or mention Commission for the
blind appointments as part of the communication between your office
and any and all directors, Deputy Directors, Assistant Directors,
Acting Directors, Acting Deputy Directors and acting Assistant
Directors of the Department of Labor, Department of Labor and Economic
Growth and the Department of Energy Labor and Economic Growth.
Specific persons include, but are not limited to, Director David
Holister, Director, Skip Pruss and Andy Levin.

Any and all correspondence between the Governor's Appointment staff
andthe the Ethics Board related to the removal of Mark Eagle from the
Michigan Commission for the Blind Board.  This documentation should
include correspondences, including email, with Chairperson Lynn
Jondahl and any member or members of the Ethics Board pertaining to
Mr. Eagle or Director Patrick Cannon.  All correspondence between the
Governor's appointment staff and Patrick Cannon pertaining to the
possible removal or removal of Eagle from the Commission Board.

Any correspondence, email or other documentation involving Governor
Granholm's transition team serving to move from the Engler
Administration to the Granholm Administration.  Such documentation is
limited to all items involving the Michigan Commission for the Blind,
the Commission Board its members and their terms.

Please feel free to contact me at 517-482-1800 with any questions you
may have about this request.  It is our goal to return order to the
Michigan Commission for the blind.  Your response to this request will
help us in this endeavor.

Sincerely,

Larry Posont, President

National Federation of the Blind of Michigan 