Dialogue stifled because materials were not translated
Despite lacking the appropriate “conversation” documents in the only language they could understand – Spanish – a group of about 30 residents did their best the evening of March 30 to express to city leaders the future they want for Morgan Hill.
Gathered inside city council chambers, the all-Hispanic crowd accepted an invitation to one of the last “community conversations” from Morgan Hill Police Cmdr. Joe Sampson who had asked Community Solutions Chief Executive Officer Erin O’Brian to invite Spanish-speakers to the meeting.
Lori Escobar, obviously disappointed that the parents couldn’t understand the reading material presented at the meeting, praised the city for reaching out to the Hispanic community.
Sitting in a separate table, about eight English-speaking community members participated in the conversation, as well.
“I would have liked the materials translated, but i think Joe (Sampson) is doing an excellent job at reaching out to them and getting them involved,” Escobar said. “It’s very important for them and for their children to have the respect of the government and have their thoughts taken into consideration. We need to do more outreach.”
Escobar said the city should be commended for allowing Sampson to interpret the information for the parents.
As in the previous 20-plus conversations, the group watched an 10-minute English video explaining the reasons behind the meetings.
Sampson interpreted the video for the crowd and the purpose of what many called “junta de la comunidad.”
In Spanish, Sampson explained to participants how since a budget shortfall in the early 90s, the city has put general-fund dollars into a reserve which has been tapped for the past three years because of a reduction of funds from the state due to its own budget crisis.
Sampson said the city’s $1.5 million shortfall during the 2005-06 fiscal year is caused by a reduction in sales tax revenues, an increase in health and retirement benefits for city employees and an increase in operating costs for recreational facilities.
In three to five years, the city’s budget reserve will be gone, Sampson warned. The crowd was then asked if it was willing to live with reduced services, pay more to maintain them or dig deeper to improve the city’s level of service.
“The council wants to make sure we get a good, broad cross-section of people who represent the community,” Sampson said. “We want input from all social, cultural and economic backgrounds.”
Sampson said the group’s input will be presented to the council along with the rest of the community feedback received in the conversations that began in January.
The council is expected to review the community input in May and decide in the summer the appropriate course of action with a formal recommendation on how to address the city’s deficit by placing the issue on the November ballot, if needed.
Francisco Alvarez, 44, a resident of Morgan Hill since 1975, said he appreciated the invitation to the “conversation” but would have liked the documents in Spanish.
“The information is good but they need to put it in Spanish,” said the Morgan Hill Unified School District groundskeeper.
The father of three favored the city’s suggested minimal government services at minimal cost. “Parents need to volunteer in the afternoons to eliminate vandalism,” he said.
Abby Martinez, program specialist for Community Solutions’ Restorative Justice Program and the El Toro Youth Center, said, “It’s good for the parents to be involved in the community and have a voice in what’s going to take place in Morgan Hill.”
Daniel Ehrler, executive director of the Morgan Hill Chamber of Commerce, helped Sampson facilitate the meeting.
“Each one (community conversation) has been different but they’re accomplishing what they’re supposed to do – get people to talk about how to deal with the budget issue,” Ehrler said.
Sheila Sanchez is the editor of the Morgan Hill Times. Reach her at ss******@*************es.com or (408) 779-3886, ext 200.
