By Dan Spalding
InkFreeNews

WARSAW – The city of Warsaw has entered into a contract for a language and cultural consultant to assist the city with improving communications with residents who speak Spanish.

A contract signed with the city and Language Matters sets in motion a plan to study how to most efficiently determine which documents need to be translated.

“There is a lot of translation that we are behind on. These are services we provide to our Hispanic community, said Mayor Joe Thallemer in a recent meeting with the city board of works and safety. “There’s a lot of work to do.”

Last year, the city put aside money set for translation services.

Language Matters is a local firm that realized the need to provide services.

The goal of the study is to help make Warsaw a more accessible and welcoming city.

Thallemer said the study will also help determine priorities in determining which city documents need to be translated.

Almost all of the departments have some improvement in translation services, he said.

The study will cost $3,300.

Lucas Fonseca, the president and founder, recently received a KEDCo Rising Leader Award at the KEDCo Annual Meeting for his efforts with Language Matters in Kosciusko County.