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Council supports pilot of ASL interpretation at events and on social media; staff to use existing budgets
Summary
Council reviewed a staff plan to provide American Sign Language interpretation at public meetings, social media content and city events, and staff said ASL is already scheduled for Buda’s birthday; costs would be covered from existing event budgets and hotel‑occupancy tax.
City staff presented a plan at the April 1 workshop to expand American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation at public meetings, on social media and at city events, and council members expressed support for the proposal.
Christina Aguilar, assistant to the city manager, summarized staff’s outreach to an advocate for the deaf and hard‑of‑hearing community and outlined recommended steps: add the online ADA request form to digital public‑meeting notices, produce ASL videos and reels for social media, and provide ASL interpretation at public meetings and select events upon request. Aguilar said ASL interpretation for Buda's birthday has already been scheduled.
Aguilar gave a preliminary cost range for in‑person interpreters — $90 to $150 per hour for typical services, with higher rates for complex events such as concerts — and said staff will identify funding from existing event budgets, including the general fund and hotel‑occupancy‑tax revenue. She also noted possibilities for bilingual‑video content (an interpreter in a corner of prerecorded or live video) and a library pilot for ASL story time in April and May.
Council members generally supported moving forward. Councilmember Cummings asked whether the city had received prior requests; staff said formal requests had been few but that raising awareness could increase demand. Councilmember Warner Williams asked whether languages besides Spanish and ASL could be handled; staff responded that contracted interpretation vendors can provide additional languages. Councilmember Brown requested council help notifying staff about events that would benefit from an interpreter.
Public commenter Heather Skeen, who identified herself as owner of a local therapy practice and a parent of a deaf child, told council she and other local residents would welcome the service and said “providing ASL interpretation allows these citizens and their families to feel more welcomed and valued.”
Staff said the city currently does interpretation by request through the ADA request form and will focus on outreach to increase awareness; staff also said it will explore procurement and group‑purchasing options to manage cost if demand grows.
