FROM: Mary Lou Kuschatka, Transportation Director
Bill Stockard, Assistant to the Manager
SUBJECT: Report on Need for Additional Spanish Services
DATE: April 2, 2003
This report responds to a Council member question raised at the February 12 Budget Work Session regarding the need to provide a Spanish telephone line at the Town Transportation Department. Council members also expressed interest in the possibility of putting Spanish messages on Town buses, and in assessing the needs of other Town departments in providing service to Spanish-speaking residents.
Telephone Systems
Transportation
The Town Transportation Department will add a second language to its telephone system for approximately $1,000. This cost would cover approximately $500 to add second-language voice prompts to the system and approximately $500 for labor charges.
With the added feature, callers could choose between English and Spanish prompts, and could choose from a list of features that are explained in Spanish. The system would also allow a staff member who answers the telephone to transfer a Spanish-speaking caller to this voice messaging system. This could be used in situations where an employee who speaks Spanish is not immediately available, and a more fluent speaker could return the call as soon as possible. The system upgrade would also include a list of commonly-asked questions, with answers in both English and Spanish.
Housing
The Housing Department provides a Spanish prompt on the departmental telephone line that offers Spanish speakers an opportunity to leave a message. These messages must be translated and returned at a later time. The Housing Department has not yet received any messages that were left in Spanish.
Town Hall/Administration
The Town Clerk’s Office is in the process of having “after-hours” telephone messages and general delivery messages translated into Spanish, so that these messages can be re-recorded in both English and Spanish.
Spanish Messages on Buses
Town buses contain various instructional messages, including passenger safety information, courtesy tips, and special announcements such as holiday closings, which we will translate into Spanish. We will also post information about the Spanish telephone line.
Department Publications and Other Services
Many Town departments provide Spanish-language publications and provide various services to Spanish-speaking citizens. These publications and services include:
· The Town Transit Guide, which provides general information about Transit services (Attachment 1).
· Boards and Commission information brochures
· “Information for New Residents” Guide
· Parks & Recreation general information document translated into Spanish, which includes facilities, hours of operation, telephone numbers, listing of programs, fee policies, and more.
· Planning Department annual surveys of building tenants and employees regarding travel and commuting patterns. The Spanish version of the survey was prepared at the request of a restaurant owner who had many Spanish-speaking employees. The Planning Department also provides a Spanish version of an occupancy chart that explains the Land Use Management Ordinance’s occupancy requirements.
· Fire Department Spanish pocket medical phrase books on each fire truck.
· Police Department resource cards, list of community resources, instructions and applications for Domestic Violence Protective Orders, and a domestic violence follow-up letter.
· Spanish classes to employees in many Town departments. For example, the Police Department is currently providing a 34-week language course for 15 employees to increase their Spanish language skills.
· Translation assistance by several Town employees, with Spanish fluency in such departments as Finance, Police, Fire, Public Works, and Transportation.
CONCLUSION
We will add a Spanish line to the Transportation telephone system and will place Spanish messages within Town buses.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Chapel Hill Transit Guide (in Spanish): (Chapel Hill Guia de Transito).