[nfbmi-talk] Fw: FOIA Response on BSBP Employee Name, Position, Wages for FY13

Thu Oct 24 00:40:58 UTC 2013

----- Original Message ----- 
From: joe harcz Comcast 
To: Haynes, Carla (LARA) 
Sent: Wednesday, October 23, 2013 8:39 PM
Subject: Re: FOIA Response on BSBP Employee Name, Position, Wages for FY13

October 23, 2013

Dear Ms. Haynes,

Please pass this one to Mr. Rodgers and all. It appears that the self anointed, super management types at BSBP and LARA cannot readily answer three simple questions.

They are:

Who works for BSBP?
What is their position?
How much were they paid during the last FY?

Wow we heard how the EO 2012-10 would make the agency much more efficient, effective and even transparent. But here clearly the "bosses" either don't know, or are just trying to hide things from the public including this advocate who is blind.

Man, this is really running this agency like a business eh?

Where is the basic accounting Governor Snyder?

Where is the payroll?

Oh, well must let you go and search so that you can then come up with some fantastic charge for asking for very basic information of a not so large agency, but one that is very important to customers who are blind who go without.

Sincerely,

Paul Joseph Harcz, Jr.

-Ninety nine percent of lawyers give the other one percent a bad name. -- Steven Wright

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Haynes, Carla (LARA) 
  To: joe harcz Comcast 
  Cc: Rodgers, Edward (LARA) ; Luzenski, Sue (LARA) ; Pemble, Mike (LARA) ; Belknap, Katie (LARA) ; Duell, Elsie (LARA) 
  Sent: Wednesday, October 23, 2013 2:36 PM
  Subject: FOIA Response on BSBP Employee Name, Position, Wages for FY13

  October 23, 2013

  Mr. Paul Joseph Harcz, Jr.

  E-mail: joeharcz at comcast.net

  1365 E. Mt. Morris Rd.

  Mt. Morris, MI 48458

  Re:  FOIA Response to Request for Information on BSBP Employees

  Dear Mr. Harcz, Jr.:

  This email is in response to your October 16, 2013, email request for information, received by this office on October 17, 2013.  Please be advised that the Bureau of Services for Blind Persons is processing this request under the state's Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), MCL 15.231 et seq.

  You have requested information as described in your email as:

  "I am writing you today for a complete list of all BSBP civil service employees who worked for BSBP during Fiscal Year 2013, (beginning October 1, 2012 ending Oct. 1, 2013). Note I wish for all full or part time employees.

  The list should contain the following:

  Name, position (civil service classification), and all wages paid to the individual during said fiscal year."

  In order to determine the extent of the research time, the size and number of records of nonexempt information within BSBP responsive to your request, a search must be undertaken.  For this reason, it is necessary to extend the time for response, as permitted by Section 5(2)(d) of the FOIA, through November 6, 2013.

  FOIA Response - P.J. Harcz, Jr.

  October 22, 2013

  Page 2 of 2

  If it is determined that there is a cost involved in the processing of this request, you will be sent a letter which will include an invoice outlining that cost (before or no later than November 6, 2013).  This letter may either request a deposit (if the cost is over $50.00) or request payment of the total cost if the amount is under $50.00.

  Please note that nothing within the federal American with Disabilities Act (ADA ), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (RA), as amended, or the state's FOIA (MCL 15.231 et seq.) requires a public body to process FOIA requests free of charge.  Further, while the ADA and Section 504 of the RA may mandate that, upon request, material be produced in an accessible format without charge, neither the ADA or Section 504 of the RA preclude a public body from charging costs under the state's FOIA. Thusly, please note that no labor fee charges have been, or will be, assessed to convert existing, nonexempt public records responsive to your requests into an accessible format to forward to you.

  Sincerely,

  Carla Miller Haynes, FOIA Coordinator

  Bureau of Services for Blind Persons

  Attachment:  Email Request for Information

  cc:     Edward F. Rodgers II

            Sue Luzenski

            Mike Pemble

  Katie Belknap

            Elsie Duell

            Mel Farmer

  From: joe harcz Comcast [mailto:joeharcz at comcast.net]  

  Sent: Wednesday, October 16, 2013 2:36 PM 

  To: Rodgers, Edward (LARA) 

  Cc: BSBPcommissioners; nfbmi-talk at nfbnet.org; Zimmer, Mike (LARA) 

  Subject: simple request for bsbp civil service employees

  October 16 2013 Request Rodgers All BSBP Employees and Info

  Paul Joseph Harcz, Jr.

  1365 E. Mt. Morris Rd.

  Mt. Morris, MI 48458

  To:

  Edward F. Rodgers, Director Bureau of Services for Blind Persons

  Dear Mr. Rodgers,

  I am writing you today for a complete list of all BSBP civil service employees who worked for BSBP during Fiscal Year 2013, (beginning October 1, 2012 ending Oct. 1, 2013). Note I wish for all full or part time employees.

  The list should contain the following:

  Name, position (civil service classification), and all wages paid to the individual during said fiscal year.

  Moreover, as a blind person I request this information in accessible format pursuant to known obligations under the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. 

  To wit just send me (without surcharge) this simple information as either a Word document or plain text enclosure to my e-mail address listed above.

  I thank you in advance for your prompt and accessible response to this simple inquiry.

  Cordially,

  Paul Joseph Harcz, Jr.

  Cc: NFB MI

  Cc: BSBP Commissioners

  Cc: several

  Carla Miller Haynes

  LARA Bureau of Services for Blind Persons (BSBP)

  201 N. Washington Square, 2nd Floor

  P.O. Box 30652

  Lansing, MI  48909

  Telephone:  517-373-2063 or Toll-Free 1-800-292-4200

  Fax:  517-335-5140

  www.michigan.gov/bsbp