MIAMI-DADE: SPANISH CLASSES IN LIBRARIES

File Number: 151447	File Type: Resolution	Status: Before the Board
Version: 0	Reference:	Control: Board of County Commissioners
File Name: SPANISH CLASSES IN LIBRARIES Introduced: 6/17/2015
Requester: NONE	Cost:	Final Action:
Agenda Date: 6/30/2015 Agenda Item Number: 11A20
Notes: Title: RESOLUTION AFFIRMING MIAMI-DADE COUNTY’S SUPPORT OF PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR ITS RESIDENTS TO LEARN AND IMPROVE SPANISH, CREOLE AND ENGLISH LANGUAGES AT NO COST TO SUCH RESIDENTS; AUTHORIZING THE USE OF SPACE AT THE COUNTY’S FOUR REGIONAL LIBRARY BRANCHES TO HOLD AT LEAST WEEKLY CLASSES FOR TEACHING SUCH SPANISH, CREOLE AND ENGLISH CLASSES IN THE EVENING HOURS CONSISTENT WITH EXISTING LIBRARY HOURS; DIRECTING THE COUNTY MAYOR OR THE COUNTY MAYOR’S DESIGNEE TO SEEK VOLUNTEERS AND TO WORK WITH ALL UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES IN MIAMI-DADE COUNTY AND THE MIAMI-DADE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM TO PROVIDE INSTRUCTORS FOR SUCH CLASSES AT NO COST TO THE COUNTY [SEE ORIGINAL ITEM UNDER FILE NO. 151151]
Indexes: LIBRARIES Sponsors: Sen. Javier D. Souto, Prime Sponsor Sally A. Heyman, Co-Sponsor Audrey M. Edmonson, Co-Sponsor Rebeca Sosa, Co-Sponsor
Sunset Provision: No	Effective Date:	Expiration Date:

Registered Lobbyist:

None Listed

Legislative History
Acting Body	Date	Agenda Item	Action	Sent To	Due Date	Returned	Pass/Fail
Board of County Commissioners	6/30/2015	11A20	Amended
REPORT:	It was moved by Commissioner Heyman that the foregoing proposed resolution be adopted as amended. This motion was seconded by Commissioner Sosa, and upon being put to a vote, passed by a vote of 13-0. The amended version of this resolution was assigned Resolution No. R-609-15.
County Attorney	6/17/2015		Assigned	Richard Seavey		6/17/2015
Unincorporated Municipal Service Area (UMSA) Cmte	6/9/2015	2B AMENDED	Forwarded to BCC with a favorable recommendation with committee amendment(s)				P
REPORT:	Assistant County Attorney Miguel Gonzalez read into the record the title of the foregoing proposed resolution. Chairman Souto relinquished the chair to Vice Chair Levine Cava. Chairman Souto proposed to amend the foregoing proposed resolution to delete the use of County funds for this purpose and utilize volunteers. It was moved by Chairman Souto that the foregoing proposed resolution be forwarded to the Board of County Commissioners with a favorable recommendation as amended to delete the use of County funds. This motion was seconded by Commissioner Heyman, and the floor was opened for discussion. Commissioner Heyman noted that she supported the foregoing resolution only as a voluntary effort. In response to Commissioner Jordan’s questions relating to the program’s impact on the libraries and how the program would be implemented, Chairman Souto advised he would like to implement it as a pilot program to avoid the incurrence of expenditures by the County, noting that he had volunteered to teach. Ms. Gia Arbogast, Library Director, responded that the library’s approach would be to identify partnership opportunities within the community such as the Public School System and some of the universities to have their language instructors use library space to offer classes. She advised that the staff impact to the libraries would be minimal, and the libraries had the space and the facilities available to perform this type of service. She stated library staff would only need to do the registration and ensure the facility was prepared and opened for the instructor as a course service. She stated it would be a win-win situation for all once the partnership was initiated and the contract language was written and approved by the County Attorney’s Office. Commissioner Jordan proposed to amend the proposed resolution to include English and Creole classes. Assistant County Attorney Richard Seavey clarified the proposed resolution would be amended to delete Sections 6, 7, and 8. Chairman Souto accepted Commissioner Jordan’s proposed amendment to include English and Creole classes. Assistant County Attorney Seavey asked if the cost of background checks would also be deleted from the proposed resolution. Ms. Arbogast advised that it was currently mandatory for the libraries to conduct background checks, and the library system always absorbed that cost. Commissioner Jordan advised the cost of the background checks should be passed on to the volunteers since the proposed program should not have a financial impact on the library system. There being no other comments or objections, the members of this Committee proceeded to take a vote on the proposed resolution as amended to delete Sections 6, 7, and 8, include English and Creole classes, and require volunteers to pay for the cost of background checks. After the vote, Chairman Souto continued chairing the meeting.

Legislative Text

TITLE RESOLUTION AFFIRMING MIAMI-DADE COUNTY’S SUPPORT OF PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR ITS RESIDENTS TO LEARN AND IMPROVE SPANISH, CREOLE AND ENGLISH LANGUAGES AT NO COST TO SUCH RESIDENTS; AUTHORIZING THE USE OF SPACE AT THE COUNTY’S FOUR REGIONAL LIBRARY BRANCHES TO HOLD AT LEAST WEEKLY CLASSES FOR TEACHING SUCH SPANISH, CREOLE AND ENGLISH CLASSES IN THE EVENING HOURS CONSISTENT WITH EXISTING LIBRARY HOURS; DIRECTING THE COUNTY MAYOR OR THE COUNTY MAYOR’S DESIGNEE TO SEEK VOLUNTEERS AND TO WORK WITH ALL UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES IN MIAMI-DADE COUNTY AND THE MIAMI-DADE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM TO PROVIDE INSTRUCTORS FOR SUCH CLASSES AT NO COST TO THE COUNTY BODY WHEREAS, >>the<<1 Spanish>>, Creole and English languages are<< [[is a language]] deeply rooted in the historical and current culture of Miami-Dade County (the “County”); and WHEREAS, this Board finds it in the best interest of the County to provide as many opportunities for the education of its adult and minor residents to learn the Spanish>>, Creole or English<< language>>s<<; and WHEREAS, the universities and colleges located in Miami-Dade County as well as the Miami-Dade County Public School System (“Miami-Dade County Educational Institutions”) employ instructors to teach, among other things, written and spoken Spanish>>, Creole and English<< to their respective enrolled students, and, in in the case of universities and colleges, >>to<< members of the general public for a tuition and/or fee; and WHEREAS, there may be other individuals in the County qualified to teach Spanish>>, Creole and English<< language classes who teach spoken and written Spanish>>, Creole and English<< for a fee; and WHEREAS, many residents of the County are unable to afford the tuition and/or fee to attend the Spanish>>, Creole and English<< classes offered by universities, colleges or private individuals; and WHEREAS, this Board finds it is within the mission and purpose of the Miami-Dade Public Library System (the “Library Department”) to educate County residents in learning and improving knowledge of the Spanish>>, Creole and English<< language>>s<<, and further finds it in the best interest of the County for the Library Department to provide Spanish>>, Creole and English<< language classes at no charge to the residents of the County, NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA, that: Section 1. This Board affirms the matters contained in the foregoing recitals which are hereby incorporated in this resolution by reference and are hereby approved. Section 2. This Board affirms the County’s commitment to the education of its minor and adult residents in the learning and improvement of knowledge of the Spanish>>, Creole and English<< language>>s<< and finds it within the scope of the Library Department’s purpose and mission to provide such education. Section 3. This Board directs the County Mayor or the County Mayor’s designee to make space available at all four regional libraries after 5:00 p.m. on weekdays at least once per week for at least one hour per session, but within such libraries’ normal operating hours, with such classes to be offered on different days at each of the regional libraries so as to maximize the availability of such classes. Such classes shall be for the instruction and education of both minor and adult residents in the learning and improvement of knowledge in the proper speaking, reading and writing of the Spanish>>, Creole and English<< language>>s<< (“[[Spanish]]>>Language<< Classes”). Section 4. This Board directs the County Mayor or the County Mayor’s designee to actively work to recruit qualified volunteers within the community to teach [[Spanish]] >>such Language<< Classes, including, but not limited to, volunteers who currently are Spanish>>, Creole or English<< instructors at Miami-Dade County Educational Institutions. The County Mayor or the County Mayor’s designee shall use, among other things, the County’s existing media platforms including the County’s website and social network sites, to promote such recruitment. Section 5. This Board further directs the County Mayor or the County Mayor’s designee to work with the Miami-Dade County Educational Institutions to obtain the services of instructors from such institutions at no [[or nominal]] cost to the County and to comply with the County’s requirements for criminal background checks for such instructors, with the cost of the criminal background checks being paid by the [[Library Department]] >>volunteering instructor or, alternatively, by any Miami-Dade County Educational Institution offering the services of such instructor<<. [[Section 6. If a sufficient number of volunteer instructors cannot be recruited by the County Mayor or the County Mayor’s designee, this Board directs the County Mayor or the County Mayor or the County Mayor’s designee to negotiate, enter into and execute agreement(s) with one or more Miami-Dade County Educational Institutions for the provision of instructors for Spanish Classes, with such agreement(s) being subject to ratification by this Board at the next available meeting of this Board after execution of such agreement(s). Such agreement(s) shall contain a provision that each such agreement(s) may be cancelled by the County at the County’s discretion without cost or penalty to the County. Section 7. If such agreement(s) involve or are associated with a cost to the County, this Board directs the County Mayor or the County Mayor’s designee to identify expenditures for reduction in the amount of such cost from the appropriations in the Fiscal Year 2014-15 budget to the Library Department to offset such cost. Such identification shall be provided in writing to this Board at least seven calendar days prior to presentation of any such agreement(s) to the Board for ratification. This Board further directs the County Mayor or the County Mayor’s designee to prepare an appropriate budget amendment to effectuate the foregoing, if necessary, and to bring such amendment back to this Board for approval. Section 8. If funding is not available in the Fiscal Year 2014-15 budget to offset such cost, this Board directs that the County Mayor or the County Mayor’s designee to include a plan for implementation of such agreement(s) as part of the Mayor’s proposed Fiscal Year 2015-16 budget for the Library Department.]] 1 Committee amendments are indicated as follows: Words stricken through and/or [[double bracketed]] are deleted, words underscored and/or >>double arrowed<< are added.