The Chapel Hill Town Council discussed its Language Access Plan and on-street parking for the Burch Kove neighborhood among other things at its Wednesday meeting.
Town Council approves Language Access Plan
Sarah Viñas, assistant director for the office of housing and community, asked the Town Council to consider approving the Language Access Plan, which outlines policies that ensure limited English proficiency residents can communicate with the Town in the language they prefer.
“Our work in this area is an important step to increasing community engagement with members who've historically faced institutional barriers to participating in local government,” Viñas said. “Our plan is rooted in the specific recommendation that we received from immigrant and refugee residents, and provides a starting place for us to build stronger connections and reduce barriers for Chapel Hill residents who speak languages other than English.”
The Town voted unanimously to approve the Language Access Plan, which will provide interpretation and translation services for things like emergency communication and public meetings.
Council hears evaluation about "Ban the Box" policy
Three students from the UNC School of Social Work and advocates from the Community Empowerment Fund made a presentation after being tasked by council member Nancy Oates to evaluate the “Ban the Box” policy in Chapel Hill. The policy, passed in 2012, eliminates the box on job applications that asks applicants whether or not they have a criminal record.
By looking at Durham, the three UNC students found that the policy doesn't fully eliminate employer biases.
“'Ban the Box' is simply a Band-Aid solution because it doesn't address the root cause of the problem since we keep funneling people of color into the criminal justice system disproportionately,” one of the students said. “Our suggestion for the Town is to seek out the voices of those most impacted by the policy and the criminal justice system.”
