Alachua County Commission discusses next steps for Truth and Reconciliation project, approves language access policy

BY JENNIFER CABRERA

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – At the June 25 Alachua County Commission meeting, the board discussed the next steps for their Truth and Reconciliation project and approved a language access policy.

New Facilities Director

Communications Director Mark Sexton introduced the new Facilities Director, Travis Parker, who was hired away from the City of Newberry.

Truth and Reconciliation project

After Sexton showed a video of the dedication of the Soil Collection Jar Exhibit Honoring Victims of Lynching , Commissioner Ken Cornell said that when the Equal Justice Initiative (EJI) asked communities to do their own Truth and Reconciliation projects in 2018, they said a community could request a duplicate of the memorial slab in Montgomery, AL, and he wondered whether the County would be getting one.

Deputy County Manager Carl Smart said the County had talked to EJI about getting a slab because they have completed all the required activities, including soil collection, historical markers, and essay contests, but “they’re not issuing any slabs at this time. What I’ve heard is that their focus right now is on the executions that are happening, particularly in Alabama, but not limited to Alabama, and other states, too. As you know, EJI represents persons who are on death row, a lot of times that may be underrepresented during their trials and maybe even without any representation. And so that’s kind of been their focus right now, but they have assured us that as soon as they are able to, that we would be one of the first to get the slab because we were one of the first to complete all the activities that were required as a part of the community remembrance.”

Cornell supported putting more effort into getting a slab, adding, “I think these things nationally gain attention.”

Chair Mary Alford said she’d heard discussion about another trip to Montgomery, and Smart said a new statue had been built at the EJI, so he and Commissioner Chuck Chestnut were talking about taking a group of citizens, volunteers, staff, “and, of course, Commissioners, with us to take a look at that statue.”

Next steps

Commissioner Anna Prizzia asked about next steps, and Smart said the County wants to bring “other communities up to speed, as far as completing some of their activities.” He said Archer was the most recent community to take up the effort, and a soil collection is scheduled there in September. He said four communities “still need historical markers.”

Prizzia said she thought it was important to tell “the stories that are about the really amazing work that’s being done and trying to highlight the positive around all of these amazing people in our community and what they’re achieving, especially our young people, so that we’re not just telling the stories of the mugshots and the shootings and that we’re not just talking about the negative things, but that we’re really lifting up the positive things and providing good role models and opportunities and highlighting those things.”

Wheeler: “I think that the country should know what we’re doing”

Commissioner Marihelen Wheeler suggested that the County create a workshop to offer at the Florida Association of Counties (FAC) or National Association of Counties meetings “as a model for what we’ve done here… I think that the country should know what we’re doing, but also, Florida should see how we’ve tackled these issues here… because we’ve been very creative, I think, and I think it would be inspiring for other counties to see what we’ve done.” Alford responded, “Absolutely.”

County Manager Michele Lieberman said she has something along those lines planned when the County hosts the FAC Innovation and Policy Conference in 2025. Cornell said he thought it was important to have the EJI slab by that date, if possible. Wheeler said that would also be a good goal for getting “the other communities involved, so we can say everybody is, you know.”

Language access policy

Gracia Fernandez, the County’s Immigrant and Language Access Coordinator, shared a proposed language access policy and plan that she will implement over the next year and a half. She said the policy “seeks to recognize and address linguistic barriers and foster an environment where all Alachua County residents, regardless of their English proficiency, can access vital resources and engage meaningfully with their community.” She said Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was extended in 2000 via Executive Order 13166, signed by Bill Clinton, to apply to language access: “In other words, it’s the federal right of people who have limited English proficiency to access, meaningfully, programs and services in a language they can understand.”

Under the proposed County policy, departments will be able to select from a list of vendors or use in-house interpreters; live, simultaneous over-the-phone interpretation will be provided; and the County will prioritize the translation of vital documents such as legal forms, emergency management information, and educational materials. Emergency notices will also be promptly translated into languages commonly spoken in the community.

The County will also have a language access site that will provide a hub where residents and County departments can request documents, translation, or interpretation; read the Language Access Policy and Procedure; or share feedback. The pilot program will start with Emergency Management and Environmental Protection, and only Spanish translations will be provided at first. Once a process is established for providing access to Spanish-speakers, they will add four other languages.

Emergency notifications in Spanish

Fernandez said that after she met with Emergency Management, an emergency notification service was created to provide texts in Spanish; residents can text “ALACHUA ESP” to 888777 to receive these notifications.

Fernandez said the next step was for the board to approve the language access policy, and then her staff would begin translating vital documents, would hire a second company for over-the-phone translation to reduce wait times, and would launch the language access site. She said County staff will be trained on how to use the tools and how to respond to requests that involve translation services.

Motion

Following the presentation, Prizzia made a motion to adopt the language access policy with the addition of a more explicit feedback process for updating the policies as needed. Chestnut seconded the motion.

Wheeler asked whether the policy would apply to the Library District, the Tax Collector’s office, the Supervisor of Elections, and the Property Appraiser’s office. Fernandez said, “Yes and no.” She said she had to be “respectful of the jurisdictional lines… but I can’t necessarily dictate what’s coming.” She said she wanted to get the language access policy in place so she could use it as an example for other offices that are not governed by the County Commission. She said she would help “anybody” that reached out to her for help with providing language access.

Cornell: County should offer to help employees learn to speak Spanish

Cornell asked whether the County had a program to help employees learn Spanish and said, “I think, Madam Manager, that the best way to bring this about, throughout our organization, is to offer to our employees, ‘Hey, you want to know how to speak Spanish? Let the County help you.’… I would support that.”

Fernandez responded, “Learning a language is really difficult, and learning a language while you’re also trying to do your full-time job is even more difficult. I am all for this, and I think everyone should try to learn at least one other language… But it’s hard. It’s really hard.”

Cornell said, “Know why I think it’s important? As you struggle to learn a language, you’re able to empathize with those who don’t speak a language… I was just throwing out an idea; the Manager’s heard my point.” He said any County employee who wants to learn a second language should “make your voice heard.”

Alford agreed that encouraging employees to learn a second language would be “a great idea, I think, from an idea of projecting empathy and helping our citizens be heard.”

Lieberman said she would take a look at options for offering classes or courses in other languages.

Wheeler said the County should also be encouraging non-English-speakers to learn English: “You know, we just have to kind of be careful in our enthusiasm for communication, to make sure that we are… also saying, ‘We really want you to to learn to speak English here, too.'”

New language added to policy

Prizzia clarified that her request for a feedback process would “leave that to staff to think about how their goal for having resident and stakeholder feedback for these interpretation services is part of the actual policy.”

Staff updated the policy language during public comment on the motion, and the new language was read to the board: “It is the policy of Alachua County to provide timely, meaningful access for individuals who are Limited English Proficiency (LEP) in all Alachua County government services, programs, and activities. All language assistance services are free to all LEP individuals who request language assistance services in the provision of County program services and provisions. Staff will regularly review and evaluate this policy with meaningful engagement on language services and procedures with relevant internal and external stakeholders.”

Lieberman pointed out that the policy should only apply to Alachua County Board of County Commissioners government services, programs, and activities.

Prizzia amended her motion to adopt the new language and specify that it applies to Board of County Commissioners government services. The motion passed unanimously.

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