Quest for IN SILC (ICOIL) Public Hearing Info

      Ramona Harvey

  We the people with disabilities can think for ourselves.  We can ask our own
questions and come to our own decisions.  We know what it is like to be
treated differently, and we know what it is like to be excluded because we
cannot get in the door or because people are afraid we will be hurt.  We are
important.  Our lives,  needs, and dreams are important and we deserve
respect.  We are just like every other person driving down the road. We demand
our needs be met and that we be included in the decisions that impact our
lives - we do not wish to sit on the sidelines anymore and watch others play.
We want to be allowed on the playground just like anybody else.
www.onecandream.com

I heard that Indiana's SILC, ICOIL, was having state plan hearings...I
needed the schedule and other information so I sent a official request to
the council for information.  My official request below. Sent to the
council with the subject 'heading official request for information': 

ICOIL Council

It has come to my attention that some public hearings have been set to
discuss the state plan.  For some reason, I was not sent any information
on the dates and locations of these meetings.  Though I know I have stated
several times in the past that I wish to be considered an interested
party. 
 
Perhaps this is just an oversite, but I would like to remind you again,
that I am an interested party. 
 
I am requesting that someone please send me, the dates, times, and
locations of the public hearings, and also all relevent documents that are
going to be discussed at these meetings.  I would also appreciate it if
you would send me a copy of the recent 704 report sent to the Feds. 
 
Please remember I remain an interested party, and member of the public you
are supposed to represent.  Again I am specifically officially asking to
be kept informed until I let you know otherwise. 
 
I appreciate you getting me the information regarding the public hearing
schedule ASAP. 
 
Thank you,
Ramona M. Harvey
 
 
P.S. Please be aware that I am still waiting an official retraction from
the council for the unsubstantiated slander against me, or evidence of the
accusations made. 

________________________


Dee Ann Hart, who was questionably elected chair during the September
gathering after having only attended one previous meeting (compared to
perfect attendence on the part of Jodi James and myself) was nice enough
to reply. Further information including attendence records of council
members can be found at http://www.onecandream.com/ICOIL/documents/

Her response prompted my second official request for information and to
continue to be kept informed below... as of right now, I am still waiting
for the requested information. 

__________________________

The response I got to my above inquiry:

The meeting dates of the SPIL Public Hearings are/will soon be available
on the FSSA website. 

_____________________________

My reply of a repeated official request:

Dee Ann
 
I certainly hope notice of public hearings will be posted with adequate
time on on FSSA website, and ideally even other places. 
 
In the meantime, please honor my direct request as a member of the public
you are supposed to serve send me the schedule with dates and times. I
know you have the schedule and I would appreciate it.  I don't have time
to check the website daily for information which may or may not get
posted on time. 
 
I respectfully request you please send me and any other interested party
(perhaps from the e-mail mailing list) the schedule so that I have it...It
is not fair of you to ask me or anyone else that you are supposed to be
representing to check daily on a website to see if meetings are that have
not been announced or advertized in any effective way have been scheduled. 
 
I find it problematic that you would not have told me anything about the
public meetings at all if I had not been lucky enough to stumble on the
information.  You should know by now that I am an interested party...I
have stated such dozens of times. 
 
In addition to the schedule, I also still need a copy of the documents you
plan to discuss at these meetings so that I can give you actual feedback. 
You can send the information to me at this E-mail.  While your at it if
you can send me the 704 report most recently sent to the feds, I would
greatly appreciate it. 
 
I appreciate in advance your assistance in getting me the information I
have officially requested. 
 
Ramona Harvey
_____________________


Hopefully I will get the information I have requested soon. I am finding
my quest for information on public hearings and the information to be
discussed at those hearings to be frustrating.  I heard a rumor that they
were having public hearings, but when I looked on the FSSA website before
even sending my first request, I could not find any.  Later that day, Jodi
James - the person who was legitimately elected chair, informed the
council some of the meetings were posted under the confusing heading of VR
Services public hearings. See
http://www.dimenet.com/hotnews/archive.php?mode=A&id=6030;&sort=D

I thank Jodi for that information, as I was one of those people thrown off
by the title, and cross my fingers that I will soon recieve all of what I
have officially requested multiple times, including a retraction by the
council of the unsubstantiated slander against myself and Jodi James. 


Ramona Harvey

We the people with disabilities can think for ourselves.  We can ask our
own questions and come to our own decisions.  We know what it is like to
be treated differently, and we know what it is like to be excluded because
we cannot get in the door or because people are afraid we will be hurt. 
We are important.  Our lives, needs, and dreams are important and we
deserve respect.  We are just like every other person driving down the
road. We demand our needs be met and that we be included in the decisions
that impact our lives - we do not wish to sit on the sidelines anymore
and watch others play.  We want to be allowed on the playground just like
anybody else. www.onecandream.com