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Commissioners table contract for on‑demand translation service, ask for budget source and jail impact review
Summary
The court discussed a proposed on‑demand translation contract with Genie Enterprises, raised questions about costs, certification limits for court use and jail procurement, and voted to table the item for further review of funding and jail needs.
Hunt County Commissioners Court discussed but did not approve a proposed contract with Genie Enterprises for on‑demand translation services on May 27, 2025. The court instructed staff to determine how the service would be paid for and to return the item under old business.
Joel, who presented the proposal, told the court that Genie offers remote interpretation in more than 300 languages and American Sign Language and charges by usage — for Spanish, he said, about "80 or 85¢ a minute." He described Genie as an on‑demand option to fill gaps when certified translators are unavailable or cost‑prohibitive for short, unscheduled interactions.
Joel said the service could be used by courts, law enforcement and other county departments and that departments could be assigned individual logins so usage would be auditable. "You can use it anytime," he said, describing phone and video access and the ability to schedule interpreters ahead of time. He also noted that Genie does not currently provide post‑event transcripts but is reportedly developing that feature.
Judges present explained limits on when remote or contract interpreters can be used. Joel and Judge Cruz said the Office of Court Administration (OCA) provides free, certified interpreters in some noncontested court matters such as pleas and resetting cases, but licensed translators are required in contested matters and final dispositions. Joel said Genie would reduce reliance on costly, scheduled certified interpreters when immediate interpretation is needed for attorney‑client conversations or magistrations.
Commissioners raised budget questions and asked whether existing county contracts — including the jail’s current vendor, Voyance — would be discontinued. The sheriff’s office representative said Voyance usage is minimal and billed from the jail commissary account; he and other officials said the county needs more information about how the service would be funded and whether the jail or other departments would keep their current providers.
After discussion about anticipated usage and a suggestion to review costs after a quarter of service, the court voted to table the contract and asked staff to determine the appropriate funding source and how usage would be allocated and billed. "We'll table this till next time. We'll put it under old business," Judge Stovall said.
