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Menlo Park is trying to engage Spanish-speaking and Belle Haven residents in City Council meetings through interpretation and transportation services but has yet to build a recurring group of users.
A staff report created for the Menlo Park City Council shows the city has offered round-trip shuttles for three meetings and Spanish interpretation at some meetings over the past two years. The services began in hopes of reducing barriers to participation for non-English speakers and residents without transportation.
Shuttle service to the city council chambers from Belle Haven has been provided for three meetings since 2023. Two of those trips had no riders, and the third, on June 10, served eight people. Each shuttle service costs the city about $200 per meeting for driver wages and vehicle expenses.
At one meeting, a Spanish-speaking resident tried to give comments at a city council meeting without interpretation. While a local resident volunteered to provide interpretation services for that meeting, the city moved the interpretation form to a more prominent space on the council’s website.
Anyone can request Spanish interpretation at a meeting at least 72 hours before the meeting. Since launching in May, the city has received two requests through the form.
Menlo Park proactively reserves four interpreters but needs to decide whether to ask for their services at least 48 hours before the meeting. Interpretation comes at a cost. The city needs four interpreters for a meeting — two in person and two virtual — at a cost of $135 to $160 per hour, per interpreter, with a two-hour minimum. The city paid $3,540 for interpretation at the May 13 meeting and $3,000 at the June 10 meeting.
City staff is exploring the use of artificial intelligence for live interpretation to reduce costs.
The city also translates select written materials, such as specific staff reports and agenda items, at a rate of 20 cents per word, plus a $30 rush fee for 24-hour turnaround. Translation of a quarterly police report in May cost $586.80, while an Environmental Justice report in September 2024 cost $221.10.
Menlo Park adopted an Environmental Justice Element last year with goals to improve air quality and ensure equitable civic engagement. Part of the plan calls for holding council meetings in underserved neighborhoods twice a year and incorporating multilingual outreach. One meeting was held at the Belle Haven Community Campus in March, and a second is planned for fall.
Thirty-eight percent of Menlo Park residents speak a language other than English at home, including 15% of residents who speak Spanish. City officials say the services are intended to make participation easier as there could be more residents who would prefer Spanish interpretation than are counted in official statistics. However, there is currently no dedicated budget line for meeting accessibility. Costs have been absorbed through the city clerk’s contract services budget.
