Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Language Access topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council asks staff to cost Spanish translations and to return with a form for council‑initiated items
Summary
Council directed staff to price options for Spanish translations of key outreach (social media, newsletter, official agenda and frequently requested forms) and asked staff to return with a proposed written submittal form and manual amendment to clarify how council-initiated items are agendized.
Council members discussed two related items: language access for Spanish speakers and the internal process for agendizing council‑initiated items.
On language access (Item 4), Interim City Manager Tony Winnie summarized current tools (website translation widget, on‑request in‑meeting translation) and listed outreach materials that could be translated (the Zest newsletter, social media posts, flyers, forms and official notices). Council member Altamirano said roughly 50–60% of the local population is Spanish‑speaking or of Hispanic descent and urged translation of social media, the Zest newsletter and major ordinances and forms. Council members asked staff to return with price estimates for several options (professional translation vs. in‑house proofing of machine translations, and cost and staff‑time tradeoffs) and to identify high‑priority department forms for translation. City staff noted SB 707 translation requirements and ADA/website accessibility concerns and said they would include staff‑time estimates when returning to council.
On council governance (Item 5), members debated the current practice (historically two council members needed to place an item on the agenda) and alternatives: a standing monthly agenda slot for brief council proposals, or a written submittal form that the city manager and city attorney would review before scheduling. Staff described examples from other cities and warned that maintaining a large list of council‑initiated items requires dedicated staff capacity. Council asked staff to draft a form and a proposed amendment to the council manual outlining expectations for agendizing items, including clear instructions to help staff estimate the time and research required.
Council provided no ordinance or budget change at the meeting; the votes recorded were on procedural motions to continue routine business and to send direction to staff for follow‑up work.
