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Public and board members press for improved Spanish interpretation at meetings
Summary
Multiple public commenters and board members told the East Palo Alto Rent Stabilization Board that the meeting's Spanish interpretation format interrupts speakers and reduces clarity; staff said they will coordinate with city leadership and technical teams to seek fixes.
Public commenters and board members raised repeated concerns about the quality and format of Spanish interpretation at the June 10 rent board meeting, saying the current process interrupts speakers and inhibits coherent public testimony.
"Itis scary and intimidating... when you have interpretation that interrupts you, that interrupts your train of thought and only lets you get a few words out at a time, it makes your message incoherent," public commenter Ofelia Beo told the board.
Board members noted the problem appears across city bodies, not only at the rent board. One board member said the current setup "does not work" and that it has been raised at multiple meetings. A board member asked staff to coordinate improvements with the city manager and city clerk.
Staff acknowledged the concern, said they had made a note, and committed to raising the issue with the city manager and city clerk, the officials who contract for interpretation services. The city attorney also suggested consulting the city's internal technology governance to explore technical solutions that could improve interpretation quality during hybrid or remote meetings.
The board did not adopt any changes to contracting or procedures at the June 10 meeting; staff said they will follow up with the city manager and city clerk and report back.
