A Response? You decide!

I was just about to shut my computer down for the night, then I decided I should check email.

To my great surprise I see three emails that I was not expecting.  The first two were from Jollie, Tara L (CED) and the last was from Moller, John (GOV).

Responses?  On a Saturday?

After my first stunned reaction I click on the first one from Ms. Jollie.  Here is what I saw/read:

“I will be out of the office until October 22. If you are emailing about fuel supplies in remote Alaska, this is the most current information as of October 9, 2009.

The Division of Community and Regional Affairs (DCRA) is working to ensure adequate fuel supplies are available in Alaska’s remote, off road, villages. To that end, DCRA has made, and continues to make, an intense effort to contact off road communities regarding the status of fuel deliveries to their community. DCRA does not influence the selling price of fuel.

DCRA has identified 583 entities that cannot receive fuel delivery via the road system. These entities include Cities, Village Councils, Corporations and Schools that must stockpile large amounts of fuel for winter use. As of 9/29, DCRA has made 1,188 attempts to contact these entities. Of the 583 total entities, DCRA has successfully contacted 517, or 89%. Of the 583, 442, or 76%, report they have received their winter supply of fuel, or are in their normal cyclic delivery schedule with either a source internal or external to the community. Our work continues.”

In my absence please direct questions to Scott Ruby, DCRA Deputy Director. Scott may be reached at 269-4569 or at scott.ruby@alaska.gov.

Tara Jollie

Director

Division of Community and Regional Affairs

Obviously an auto response.  Let’s move on to number two:

“I will be out of the office until October 22. If you are emailing about fuel supplies in remote Alaska, this is the most current information as of October 9, 2009.

~SNIP~

In my absence please direct questions to Scott Ruby, DCRA Deputy Director. Scott may be reached at 269-4569 or at scott.ruby@alaska.gov.

Tara Jollie

Director

Division of Community and Regional Affairs

The exact same auto response.

(*Note these are NOT direct responses to emails that I sent, these are responses to emails that were sent by other concerned people that were cc’d to me*)

First thing I notice is that the first auto response is sent at 10:16 p.m. but the original email was sent at 2:27 p.m.  (Counting on my fingers… 2:27, 3:27, 4:27 etc..)  OK that’s like nearly 8 hours later.  Last time I checked auto responses were sent IMMEDIATELY when the email is received, right??  Unless this is some wierd State of Alaska/Government email anomally.  But then if you were going on vacation or whatever would you have it start on a Friday NOT a Saturday?  I’ll let y’all ponder that….

So let’s look at the first sentence:

“I will be out of the office until October 22. If you are emailing about fuel supplies in remote Alaska, this is the most current information as of October 9, 2009.

OK there’s the dead give away that it’s an auto response as if having it repeated a second time in another email didn’t give that away. October 22nd. Ok SURELY this is a coincidence right?? I mean she is going to be out of the office until the day I leave Ugashik to go and wait to have this baby. Coincidence I am certain.  Just like I am CERTAIN that there must be some legitimate pressing personal matter that is taking her out of the office…surely she just isn’t tucking tail and running away because of a few emails….Right?  I am certain there must be a legitimate reason or she must have had this leave time scheduled in advance and just forgot to turn on her email vacation response prior to 10 p.m. on a Saturday.

I mean this HAS to be an auto response right?  It’s not like she’s sitting at her computer firing off a COPIED response to all the emails she’s receiving hours after receiving them.  (* Found out that someone else who had been cc’d on an email received the same COPIED Auto Response to an earlier email one minute after I got mine*)

Next sentence….  If you are emailing about fuel supplies blah blah blah….. so obviously she has received a few emails inquiring about fuel supplies….ya think?

Moving on…

The Division of Community and Regional Affairs (DCRA) is working to ensure adequate fuel supplies are available in Alaska’s remote, off road, villages. To that end, DCRA has made, and continues to make, an intense effort to contact off road communities regarding the status of fuel deliveries to their community. DCRA does not influence the selling price of fuel.

Has made, continues to make, an INTENSE EFFORT!!  Wish I could know what Ms. Jollie’s or the DCRA’s definition of INTENSE EFFORT is?  Because not responding for months and months to inquiries seems lacking to me…JMHO ;-)  Hmm DCRA does NOT influence the selling price of fuel…doesn’t that sound like what I had in my email to her?  Let’s check…

From: Ann Strongheart <nunamiquayouth@yahoo.com>

Subject: Fuel Watch

To: “Tara Jollie” <tara.jollie@alaska.gov>, “John Moller” <john.moller@alaska.gov>, “Attorney General” <attorney.general@alaska.gov>

Date: Friday, October 2, 2009, 11:30 AM

Ms. Jolie

~SNIP~

I expressed my concern that even if these communities have or will receive the fuel they need for the winter that I am concerned about at what cost and how will people be able to afford the fuel. You stated that it was not your departments job and/or responsibility to set fuel prices. Which I understand but I am still concerned and would HOPE that you would bring this to the Governors attention. That simply because a community has fuel available that does not ensure that residents will be able to afford said fuel. Especially due to the poor commercial fishing this past summer.

Yep that pretty much looks like something I had in my email to her.  The next section throws out a whole lot of statistics.  Wow that’s a lot of numbers!  1,188 attempts to contact, 517 contacted, 442 reporting that they have their fuel or look to have it delivered.  Then we finish it off with…Our work continues!  Can you really say OUR when you are leaving for unknown reasons?

So 442 reporting that they are set or will be set for the winter which is 76% of the villages or wait how did she word it…it was such a mess of important sounding words….aww yes here it is…Alaska’s remote, off road, villages that includes: Cities, Village Councils, Corporations and Schools.

Is it just me or does it seem like there are a whole lotta numbers and a whole lotta words that don’t really answer any questions?  Ok I know they say that they are calling around and they have all these numbers and percentages but other than saying:  OUR WORK CONTINUES…ummm whatelse is the DCRA doing? (besides staying up late on a Saturday evening sending out COPIED Auto responses to emails?  Guess I am NOT the only one up late on a Saturday sitting at the computer!)

Then Ms. Jollie goes on to say:

In my absense (no she is not tucking tail and panicking and running away!) Please direct questions to blah blah blah.  Contact information blah blah blah.  Passing the buck!!! Not going to answer all of these emails, caving under the strain blah blah blah

And there ya have, the DCRA’s Director’s Response!  It seems like magic that we even got this much of a response.

Well let’s move on to Mr. Moller’s response:

From: Moller, John (GOV) <john.moller@alaska.gov>

Subject: RE: Fuel Watch Meeting Oct 2, 2009

To: “Ann Strongheart” <nunamiquayouth@yahoo.com>, “General, Attorney (LAW sponsored)” <attorney.general@alaska.gov>, “Jollie, Tara L (CED)” <tara.jollie@alaska.gov>, “ombudsman ak” <ombudsman@legis.state.ak.us>

Date: Saturday, October 10, 2009, 9:54 PM

Dear Ms. Strongheart:

I understand your concerns with the continued high cost of energy. There are a number of programs that are available to help Alaskans in need. Attached is information about programs available through the Division of Public Assistance, which includes help in paying for heating expenses through the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Programs (LIHEAP) and the Alaska Heating Assistance Program (AKHAP).

In some areas of Alaska , these programs are operated by Alaska Native organizations. Attached is a flier that provides information about Heating Assistance, and it includes the list of Alaska Native Organizations that are operating Tribal LIHEAP/Heating Assistance programs. Kodiak Area Native Association and Bristol Bay Native Association’s programs are new this year and they are in the process of getting their offices ready to begin accepting applications.

The Women, Infant’s and Children’s program is administered by community grantees. Bristol Bay Area Health Corp. in Dillingham operates the WIC program in the Bristol Bay and Dillingham area. They can be reached at 842-2036. Families can get more information about the WIC program and how to apply at http://www.hss.state.ak.us/dpa/programs/nutri/wic/Participants/Default.htm

I hope all Alaskans apply for these programs that apply to them if they are in need. I hope you find this information helpful.

Regards,

John Moller

Rural Advisor

Office of Governor Parnell

907-465-3500

Before I start analyzing this one I’ll share my reply:

Mr. Moller,

Quyana for your response to my email. You offered some information about some programs which I will be sure to pass along.

Although, I can’t help but notice that you didn’t answer a single one of my questions. So here they are again. I hope that you will be able to address them. I am assuming that since you are the Rural Advisor to Governor Parnell that you will have access to the necessary information to answer them, even though they were originally directed at the DCRA and Ms. Jollie.

What is the fuel status for rural Alaska ?

After reading report #5 from your dept. I am assuming that only those 13 communities identified in the report are having fuel issues?? I am assuming the remaining 567 are all set fuelwise for the winter? Would you please clarify that.

I expressed my concern that even if these communities have or will receive the fuel they need for the winter that I am concerned about at what cost and how will people be able to afford the fuel. You stated that it was not your departments job and/or responsibility to set fuel prices. Which I understand but I am still concerned and would HOPE that you would bring this to the Governors attention. That simply because a community has fuel available that does not ensure that residents will be able to afford said fuel. Especially due to the poor commercial fishing this past summer.

What is the current status of the the villages listed in report #5 from your dept? Are they all set and have their fuel for the winter?

Does the public have access to the whole database? I would like to review it to ensure that all communities were identified. I am concerned b/c I don’t see Alakanuk nor Kotlik nor other YK Delta Villages listed.

Could you please include me on your mailing list for future reports on the fuel watch. I am working on a post for my blog and would like to be able to keep up to date on current fuel information. I will be going into wait to have this baby here in a few very short weeks and intend to fill my time actively advocating for rural Alaska .

Quyana Cakneq in advance for your response and attention to this matter.

Ann Strongheart

Let’s take a closer look at Mr. Moller’s response.  I;ll paste it here and put my thoughts and translations  in blue.

Dear Ms. Strongheart:

I understand your concerns with the continued high cost of energy. (I am tired of receiving emails and hearing about your complaints concerns! ) There are a number of programs that are available to help Alaskans in need. (I am giving you all this information in hopes of distracting you and getting you off of my back !  No it is NOT passing the buck to another government agency in hopes that you will pester them with your steady stream of emails and questions!) Attached is information about programs available through the Division of Public Assistance, which includes help in paying for heating expenses through the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Programs (LIHEAP) and the Alaska Heating Assistance Program (AKHAP).  (Please contact them and stop emailing me! because it’s hard work coming up with such a long run-on sentence that seems this impressive with lots of words!)

In some areas of Alaska , these programs are operated by Alaska Native organizations. (If you don’t already know your AVCP does this type of stuff for the Y/K Delta!) Attached is a flier that provides information about Heating Assistance, and it includes the list of Alaska Native Organizations that are operating Tribal LIHEAP/Heating Assistance programs. (Please print these out and distribute them and quit pestering me to do my job!) Kodiak Area Native Association and Bristol Bay Native Association’s programs are new this year and they are in the process of getting their offices ready to begin accepting applications.  (Maybe you can help them too since you are in Ugashik for the winter and hand out these flyers for me!)

The Women, Infant’s and Children’s program is administered by community grantees.  (WIC, you are pregnant and have a toddler!  Let’s see if I can distract you by throwing them in this email also!) Bristol Bay Area Health Corp. in Dillingham operates the WIC program in the Bristol Bay and Dillingham area. They can be reached at 842-2036. Families can get more information about the WIC program and how to apply at http://www.hss.state.ak.us/dpa/programs/nutri/wic/Participants/Default.htm (You are in that area now, so I am going to put their specific contact information here just for you!  DISTRACTION!! DISTRACTION!!! Leave me alone please! DISTRACTION!!)

I hope all Alaskans apply for these programs that apply to them if they are in need.  (Can you mumble that again?  I hope ALL Alaskans apply?) I hope you find this information helpful.  (Please don’t notice that I didn’t answer any of your questions and that I am simply trying to placate you and distract you and hopefully get you to start pestering another government agency and leave me alone!)

Regards,

John Moller

Rural Advisor

Office of Governor Parnell

907-465-3500

************

I will discuss these responses or lack thereof in the future.

-AnnS