With more than 6,000 Penn State students speaking foreign languages, addressing language concerns in the county’s 911 system topped discussion at the recent regular board meeting of the Centre County commissioners.
Dale Neff, director of Centre County 911, approached the board of commissioners on May 10 to discuss a new three-year service agreement between the county and Voiance Language Services LLC, which would provide over-the-phone interpretation services when 911 dispatchers need them.
According to Neff, if a non-English speaking resident phones 911, the call is tied into the interpretation service to determine the emergency. Currently, the county is contracted with a service that outsources these interpreters.
Neff said his research discovered Voiance Language Services, which is based in Tucson, Ariz. He said this company employs the interpreters needed for such a service, and employs them in house, thus nixing the need for further outsourcing.
‘I just think this might be a better option for us,’ said Neff. ‘So far, in 2016, we’ve used about 100 minutes of interpretive service. We don’t have a lot of those kinds of calls, but with all the foreign Penn State students here and their families, we need to make sure we can understand their issues and get help out to them as quickly as possible.’
According to Neff, this service would be billed monthly at 75 cents per minute when the service is being utilized. The contract period would begin Friday, May 20, and continue through May 2019.
The commissioners will review the contract and will take official action on the item at their next regular meeting.
In other business, the commissioners:
■ Approved a contact between the county and Perry and Schuylkill counties to house tenant inmates at a rate of $65 each day.
■ Approved a contract renewal between the county and Pentz Run Youth Services to provide residential services to dependent/delinquent youth. The contract total is $15,000.
■ Approved a contract renewal between the county and Lifespan Family Services to provide foster care to dependent/delinquent youth. The contract total is $43,500.
■ Approved a memorandum of understanding between the county and Centre Regional Planning Agency on behalf of the Centre County Metropolitan Planning Organization. The county will invoice CRPA for transportation planning work tasks with the Centre County Metropolitan Planning Organization. This will reduce the amount of the county contribution.
■ Approved a memorandum of understanding between the county and Moshannon Valley Economic Development Partnership to provide services to the Philipsburg Business Incubator.
■ Heard a request for the purchase of a 2016 Ford Transit Van from Tri-Star Ford of Tyrone to replace the current sheriff prisoner transportation van, which has met its useful life after 14 years. The total cost is $36,999 and the item will be on the agenda for action Tuesday, May 1.;
■ Recognized Timothy D. Breon and Tyler J. Eberly for their promotions to Eagle Scout. They are both Boy Scouts in Troop 20 of Centre Hall.
