Meeting in 2 languages a sore topic

The county was criticized at the first town hall meeting with a bilingual format last year.

By JACKIE RIPLEY Times Staff Writer
Published March 12, 2008

TAMPA - After the flak they got last year, Hillsborough County officials were more careful when they advertised Thursday night's bilingual town hall meeting in Town 'N Country.

Still, there was resistance.

"It's a big waste of time, having people speaking two languages that you have to translate in between," said Jack Peel, a past president of the Baycrest Homeowners Association.

Bill Browne, chairman of the Town & Country Alliance, sent an e-mail to county offices, making it clear he was voicing his own opinion and not that of the organization.

"I would have thought that given the angst generated last year somebody would have at least considered asking how we are dealing with this again," he wrote. "I wouldn't expect the meeting to not go forward, but you'd think that for no other reason than re-election, a call would have been made."

County officials say the reaction this year is far more subdued than last year, when they held the first such event in Town 'N Country. While the gathering attracted 500 people and was considered a success, there were heated exchanges in the days leading up to the meeting.

"I still have people in the community and even in my own church who aren't speaking to me because they misunderstood my intentions," said Browne, who opposed the bilingual format.

This time, officials were careful to call the meeting "bilingual," not "Hispanic." And they were careful to put signs penned in Spanish only in areas with a high concentration of Hispanics.

"It's a process where we learn," said Tony Morejon, the county's Hispanic affairs liaison. "Not everybody's going to be happy but it has to happen. We need to communicate."

Morejon said the city of Tampa has a similar bilingual meeting once a year for its residents.

Town 'N Country, built largely for Vietnam war-era service personnel, has been overshadowed in recent decades by newer developments in Carrollwood, Westchase and New Tampa. Spanish-speaking immigrants now own or rent many of the homes originally occupied by soldiers.

Browne, while tempering his remarks, still maintains that "encouraging people to remain dependent is not helping anyone." He says it would be in everyone's best interest "to demand, encourage and insist people learn English because it would be a lot more productive and a lot less divisive."

It's a sentiment Morejon has heard many times.

"I know some people see this as giving Hispanics a crutch, and see it as you may," he said. "But it's time we talk and we share the things we need to share."

Peel, for his part, says it would be more efficient to have people write their questions beforehand and have someone with a microphone answer them in English and in Spanish.

"When you put things in writing you're more succinct," he said.

Thursday's meeting is from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Iglesia de Dios Pentecostal, 5800 N Church Ave. County Commissioners and county department heads will be there to answer questions and to listen to residents' concerns.

The county's cable channel on Bright House 622 and Verizon 22 will broadcast the meeting.

People who want to ask questions or make comments can call 813 272-5314. The messages will be read and answered during the meeting.

A bilingual newsletter with details from the meeting also will be sent to those who attend.

Jackie Ripley can be reached at ripley@sptimes com or (813) 269-5308.

if you go

Town hall meeting

Thursday, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Iglesia de Dios Pentecosta., 5800 N. Church Ave., Tampa

[Last modified March 12, 2008, 01:52:30]