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HAAB Minutes 12/05/1996 Minutes Hispanic Affairs Advisory Board Meeting December 5, 1996 HISPANIC AFFAIRS ADVISORY BOARD MINUTES OF MEETING December 5, 1996 IMMOKALEE COMMUNITY CENTER 321 NORTH FIRST STREET IMMOKALEE, FLORIDA PRESENT: Ramiro Mafialich, Chief Assistant County Attorney, BCC Liaison to HAAB Armando Ayala, HAAB Member Pedro C. Vazquez, HAAB Member Frank Rodriguez, HAAB Member Mireya Louviere, HAAB Member Edgardo Tenreiro, HAAB Member Anna 1. Rodriguez, LABP A Rich Mattes, C.C.S.G. Tom Davis, C.C.S.G. Ray Bezares, Immokalee Neighborhood Services Victor A. Valdes, Las Naciones News Lucy Rodriguez, Immokalee Civic Association Pete Cade, lmmokalee Bulletin ABSENT: Eva Delashmet David Correa Frank Loney Manuel Andres Laso The December 5, 1996 meeting ofthe Hispanic Affairs Advisory Board of Collier County convened at approximately 7:30 p.m. The first order of business was to approve the minutes of November 7, 1996. A motion was made by Edgardo Tenreiro and seconded by Armando Ayala and there was a unanimous vote in favor of approval. Frank Rodriguez began the meeting by noting that the purpose of the gathering was to have interaction between the Hispanic Board and the Hispanic minority youth of Immokalee. However, everyone was disappointed that there was no attendance by the youth. Lucy Rodriguez, President of the lmmokalee Civic Association, mentioned that there are monthly youth meetings at the park that could be coordinated with the Hispanic Board. Frank and Edgardo suggested that Lucy coordinate with Frank about a future joint meeting with the youth. A discussion was then begun with representatives of the Sheriff's office regarding activities which could be held to serve the youth ofImmokalee. Ray Bezares explained that he was a youth minister and employee of the Gargiulo Corporation and stated that he was in the process of starting a youth program in lmmokalee. Further discussion was then held with the members of the Board and Mr. Bezares regarding ways of promoting youth programs through public and private agency efforts. Edgardo Tenreiro made a motion to request participation of a Hispanic Board representative at future "Lo boys" meetings. This motion was seconded by Mireya Louviere. The Board voted unanimously for Chairman Rodriguez to contact the club. Frank Rodriguez also indicated that he would contact Collier County Public Services Administrator Thomas Olliff regarding meetings and activities with lmmokalee youth. Frank Rodriguez mentioned that the purpose of the HAAB could be to serve as a catalyst for all organizations to achieve the goal of improving the plight of minority youth in lmmokalee. Staff liaison Ramiro Mafialich reported that Manny Laso had called in and reported that he would not be able to attend tonight's meeting. Both the Chairman and the members of the Hispanic Board agreed that Mr. Laso had provided a satisfactory excuse regarding his absence. The Hispanic Board requested that Ramiro Mafialich followup with Diane Standish of the Collier County Sheriff's office regarding the employment profile of the Sheriff's office with regard to the hiring of minorities. Frank Rodriguez led the discussion regarding the October 20, 1996 correspondence from NCH Health Care System President, William G. Crone. Mr. Bezares mentioned that interpreters often have to accompany injured workers to the hospital because the hospital was lacking interpreter services. He believed that NCH was attempting to recruit interpreters. Edgardo Tenreiro mentioned that NCH has been using translators from available staff who get a 5% pay increase for performing that duty. He believed that there was testing of translation skills when these individuals were scheduled to be used for this service. Mr. Vazquez stated that his wife worked at a hospital in Georgetown, near Washington, D.C., and that a lack of interpreters hampers the patient's ability to feel comfortable with their stay at the hospital. Mireya Louviere commented that she was concerned regarding the lack of a written policy about the use of foreign languages at the hospital. Edgardo Tenreiro mentioned that NCH was trying to create a comfortable environment for the patients and that is why they have instituted a formalized translation program. He indicated that that is also the reason why the staff at NCH should speak in the language that the patients understand. Armando Ayala stated that the situation arose because NCH employees had complained that NCH had a policy prohibiting the use of foreign languages by the employees. He thought that there was a need for a written policy to provide clarification to the employees. Frank Rodriguez commented that NCH had been made directly aware of these allegations at the joint NCH/HAAB meeting. 2 Victor Valdes, Editor of Las Naciones Newspaper and Hispanic activist, mentioned that he brought the case of the NCH language restriction to the HAAB. He said that ifNCH does not adequately respond on this issue, then maybe a judicial remedy might be needed. He thought that the Hispanic Board had done a good job on this issue, but if there was no further adequate response by NCH, then citizens may present a class action lawsuit. He thought that maybe the HAAB should warn NCH of possible legal action by others. A discussion then ensued regarding the need for further clarification of the NCH letter of October 20, 1996. Edgardo Tenreiro mentioned that the Board should be careful to not be perceived as a threat to any local business that employs a significant number of minorities. A positive approach, he stressed, should be taken. He reminded the Board members that NCH had always maintained that foreign languages were not prohibited, merely that courtesy to patients in the use of language was what the hospital had emphasized. Frank Rodriguez disputed this point stating the news interviews with NCH representatives did imply that a foreign language restriction policy existed at the hospital. Mireya Louviere thought that there had definitely been miscommunication, but that was due to the lack of clarity by the hospital and its policy. Anna Rodriguez commented that she goes to NCH on a regular basis with clients that she serves, and she mentioned that the employees she had encountered there who spoke Spanish had told her that there had been no further language problems since the joint HAAB/NCH meeting. Edgardo Tenreiro questioned whether insisting on a written policy on this subject would create problems for managers at NCH. He gave as an example dress code provisions that have been the basis of challenges to employers by employees. Liaison Ramiro Mafialich mentioned that perhaps NCH and the HAAB were not that far apart on the issue since the letter of October 20th appeared to say that there was no foreign language restriction at NCH. However, the same letter also says that NCH sees no necessity for a written policy. Liaison Mafialich told the HAAB that they need to consider whether further dialogue should occur between the HAAB and NCH, or whether the letter which had been sent was sufficient for the HAAB purposes. A motion was made by Mireya Louviere and seconded by Edgardo Tenreiro to send a letter to NCH asking for clarification of paragraph B. of the October 20th letter. The clarification to be requested had to do with confirming that there is no negative job impact at NCH for the use of foreign languages, and emphasizing the need for medically-qualified interpreters. A vote was held on this motion and unanimously approved. The meeting of the HAAB adjourned at approximately 9:25 p.m. Respectfully submitted, /J", _ a~4.J2 ~afiahCh Staff Liaison to the Hispanic Affairs Advisory Board 3 APPROVED BY THE HISPANIC AFFAIRS ADVISORY BOARD ON MARCH 13,1997. ~.~ Frank Ro u ~ Chairman of the Board '. 4 , ~ ..-. '"._~~,._-----._.,.--..." '-~'''''''''''-'-''-'._-,-.. ....~_.--...""-