City of Bend outlines expanded language-access program, highlights Spanish translation priority

The City of Bend presented a refreshed language-access program on May 20, telling the Accessibility Advisory Committee that the effort centers on policy, staff training, interpretation and translation and a community-facing outreach plan.

Lindsay Wenglowski, equity management analyst and acting language access coordinator for the City of Bend, told the committee the program is built on an administrative policy adopted in spring 2024 and a citywide needs assessment conducted last year. "The work sits on the legal bedrock of the Civil Rights Act," Wenglowski said, noting Title VI and the city’s obligations because it accepts federal funding.

Wenglowski said the program uses four main components: an administrative policy, an organizational needs assessment, staff training and a public plan that includes resources such as "I speak" cards and a Spanish translation of the language access web page. She described interpretation (spoken or…