Sent to and from our Governor's office today.
----- Original Message -----
From: joe harcz Comcast
To: Stoken, Laura (GOV)
Sent: Friday, May 06, 2016 4:17 PM
Subject: Re: flint office bldg crisis and blind information resources - FOIA
Request
And most of them are still not accessible to people who are blind including me.
----- Original Message -----
From: Stoken, Laura (GOV)
To: 'joeharcz@xxxxxxxxxxx'
Sent: Friday, May 06, 2016 4:10 PM
Subject: RE: flint office bldg crisis and blind information resources - FOIA
Request
Dear Mr. Harcz,
Thank you for your recent correspondence sent to the Executive Office of
Governor Rick Snyder regarding the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). As a
member of Governor Snyder's staff, I am responding on his behalf.
All of the documents you shared should either already be included with the
documents that were posted on the Governor's website about three weeks ago for
LARA (http://www.michigan.gov/snyder/0,4668,7-277-57577_57657-376716--,00.html ;
), or will be included in the next batch to be posted. With that said,
transparency is a top priority. Governor Snyder has released 18 batches of
Executive Office e-mails related to Flint. All emails and corresponding
documents that had been made available to requesting entities from state
departments were also posted publicly on February 12, and periodic additions
continue to be made. All materials being released are available at
www.michigan.gov/snyder.
We will continue to work to improve the water situation in Flint. The
Governor is working with community members and local officials to make sure we
hear and respond to concerns.
Thank you, again, for taking the time to share your concerns with our office.
Should you have any further comments, questions or concerns regarding this or
any other state-related matter, I've included my contact information below.
Sincerely,
Laura Stoken
Constituent Relations
Executive Office of the Governor, Rick Snyder
517.335.7858
From: joe harcz Comcast [mailto:joeharcz@xxxxxxxxxxx] ;
Sent: Friday, May 06, 2016 9:33 AM
To: Stoken, Laura (GOV) <Stokenl@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Fw: flint office bldg crisis and blind information resources - FOIA
Request
Dear Ms. Stokens,
In the interest of transparency the Governor might wish to post these
documents to the Flint Water crisis page along with others I will send you for
free, which is not something that LARA/BSBP has offerred me in subsequent
inquiries.
Sincerely,
Joe Harcz
Activist who is blind
----- Original Message -----
From: LARAFOIAInfo
To: joeharcz@xxxxxxxxxxx
Cc: BSBPFOIA
Sent: Tuesday, March 15, 2016 8:58 AM
Subject: RE: flint office bldg crisis and blind information resources - FOIA
Request
Dear Mr. Harcz:
This notice responds to your February 8, 2016 and February 9, 2016 emails
(copies attached), received by the Department of Licensing and Regulatory
Affairs (LARA) on February 9, 2016 and February 10, 2016, respectively,
requesting information under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), MCL 15.231
et seq.
You have asked for numerous documents related to the Bureau of Services for
Blind Persons and the Flint water matter.
Your request is granted in part and denied in part. Records responsive to
your request are attached. Section 13(1)(d) of the FOIA provides that
information specifically described exempt from disclosure by another agency
statute is exempt from disclosure; therefore, portions of your request have
been denied. (MCL 15.243(1)(d)) Consumer information contained in the
documents has been redacted per the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, 34 CFR 361.68.
Information related to the Flint water matter is available on our website at
www.michigan.gov/bsbp. Please see the link entitled "Outreach to Flint's Blind
Community Helps Ensure Access to Information and Resources" is under the
"Spotlight".
Section 10 of the FOIA, MCL 15.240, provides that you may seek judicial
review in the Court of Claims within 180 days after the final denial
determination. If you prevail in such an action, the court is to award
reasonable attorney fees, costs, and disbursements, and possible damages.
If you have questions concerning this matter, please feel free to contact the
LARA FOIA Office at LARAFOIAInfo@xxxxxxxxxxxx. You may also write to us at the
address listed below and enclose a copy of this letter.
LARA's FOIA Procedures and Guidelines can be accessed at
www.michigan.gov/lara.
Thank you,
LARA FOIA Office
sf
