Fiscal Note
The proposed resolution approves the comprehensive language access plan. The adopted 2018 operating budget for the Department of Civil Rights includes $122,000 for the implementation of the plan.
Title
Approving the City of Madison comprehensive language access plan.
Body
WHEREAS, 15.8% of residents over five years of age in the City of Madison speak a language other than English at home, many of who are limited English proficient (LEP); and,
WHEREAS, the City of Madison is committed to being a welcoming and inclusive city for all residents and ensuring meaningful, accurate, and equal access to City programs, benefits, activities, and services; and,
WHEREAS, on September 20, 2016, the Common Council resolved that the City of Madison shall use professional, qualified, human translation for official communication and its websites, and shall not use automated machine translation for the same, and further resolved that the Department of Civil Rights review its language access plan and submit a comprehensive language access plan to the Common Council by June 2017; and,
WHEREAS, a Steering Committee was created for the development of the comprehensive language access plan, which consisted of City of Madison staff, including bilingual staff, an Alderperson who is also a language access expert, and linguistics professionals; and,
WHEREAS, on September 19, 2017, the Common Council resolved to extend the date by which the Department of Civil Rights was to submit a final comprehensive language access plan; and,
WHEREAS, the Department of Civil Rights presented an interim report on September 19, 2017; and,
WHEREAS, the Department of Civil Rights sent a survey to all City of Madison employees to gather data on the following: how staff provide language assistance to the community, familiarity with existing services, how bilingual employees are used within the City, and how first responders handled language assistance needs in the field; and,
WHEREAS, in an effort to engage community members, the Department of Civil Rights hosted focus groups with the Chinese Mandarin community, Hmong community, Deaf community, UW-Madison employees, and language access experts and professionals in the community; and,
WHEREAS, the Mayor and Common Council adopted a budget increase of $100,000 for language access services in 2018 for a total budget of $122,000 for providing language services to the community;
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Department of Civil Rights hereby submits the final comprehensive language access plan in accordance with direction from the Common Council; and,
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that the Common Council formally approve and adopt the comprehensive language access plan.