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Deaf residents urge Springfield to provide ASL interpreters and certified transcripts for council meetings
Summary
A Springfield advocate asked the council to fund on‑site American Sign Language interpreters, verified meeting transcripts and front‑facing cameras; she recommended using Illinois School for the Deaf and state interpreter registries as resources and said current audio aids are insufficient for many deaf residents.
An advocate for the deaf community asked the Springfield City Council on June 3 to provide American Sign Language interpretation and verified transcripts for council meetings, saying available audio aids do not meet the needs of Deaf and hard‑of‑hearing residents.
Kayla Maguire, who identified herself as an advocate for the deaf community, said she had previously requested interpreters and proofed transcripts and praised recently added cameras but said automated transcripts (for example, YouTube captions) are insufficient without human proofreading for accuracy and correct name spelling. “While audio aids like hearing loops or whatever amplifier you provide is good, the best solution would be to have an interpreter available in person and on screen for each meeting,” Maguire said.
Maguire suggested the city contact the Illinois School for the Deaf, the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf and the State of Illinois Deaf and Hard of Hearing Commission as hiring resources and asked the council to avoid treating the request as a low‑priority expense. She said deaf residents currently feel “isolated and alone” and that hiring an interpreter for two to three hours a week, though it carries a cost, would be a meaningful step toward inclusion.
Mayor and staff responses recorded during the meeting noted the availability of audio aids by request and the addition of cameras; Maguire said she had not received a response to prior emails to the mayor and urged the council not to “brush this to the side.” No council action or funding allocation was made at the meeting; staff were asked to follow up with the advocate.
Ending: Council staff agreed to follow up; no formal policy or budget change was adopted during the session.
