Latino Issues Task Force studies county's role

By Kate Tarasenko
Correspondent

While the local Hispanic population stands at just under 9 percent, it is nevertheless the largest ethnic minority in Larimer County. The county's Latino Issues Task Force, with four months remaining for its mission, is charged with identifying the major issues that affect the county's growing Latino community and making recommendations to the commissioners to address them.

Although the board voted unanimously to approve its formation last summer, Commissioner Glenn Gibson went on the record with his initial doubts about the task force's necessity, commenting that he had "a big concern that [Larimer County is] developing two cultures."

Fellow Commissioner Karen Wagner adopts a broader view. "This task force is helping us learn how to address the needs of all our ethnic minorities, not just Latinos," she said.

Ernie Giron, vice president of Catholic Charities of Northern Colorado, chairs the task force. "I'm Hispanic," he said, "so I have a sincere interest in anything that improves the quality of life for Latinos in Larimer County."

He said that there is a lot of overlap of needs based on what he sees professionally, and that those gaps and barriers are reflected countywide, especially in the realm of jobs and social services.

Since July, the task force has identified three areas where the county can have a profound impact: diversity in hiring practices and equity of opportunities, especially at the county's management level; the quality of and accessibility to county services, and how successfully peoples' needs are being met; and voter registration and participation levels among the county's Hispanics.

Giron said that the current job of the task force is information and data gathering. "We're developing benchmarks, and we're also looking at national trends," he said.

Wagner is especially focused on "improving the county's level of customer service." As an example, she said, there aren't always bilingual county employees available to assist Spanish-speaking people, and that the same handful of employees is always called upon for assistance with translation.

"This type of situation puts an extra burden on them," she said, and leaves certain front-line offices chronically under-prepared to deal with every situation--and customer--in a timely manner.

Community activist Kim Salinas is vice chair of the task force and makes her living as an attorney in immigration law. Although neighboring Weld County's Hispanic population has been estimated as more than triple that of Larimer County's, she staunchly defends the need for such a task force locally.

"It wasn't that long ago," she pointed out, "that businesses in Fort Collins had signs in their windows that read, 'No dogs; no Mexicans.' The Latino Issues Task Force is looking for ways to successfully integrate Latinos into our county and our community at large. And we always want to hear about the issues that are important to the people who live and work here."

The task force has lost a few members in the past eight months that they hope to replace, but Giron is impressed by the remaining members' level of commitment and work ethic. "We're blazing the trail by ourselves," he said. "Every county is different, just as every community is different."

The task force is due to terminate at the end of June. At that time, its members may request that the board of commissioners extend their work for another year. The task force is also reserving the option to recommend a permanent county advisory board that will help bridge the gap between the county's Latino and Anglo populations.

Salinas and Giron agreed that a board that assists with problem-solving --especially one that provides continuity and a forum for ongoing dialogue --has its place in Larimer County.

Giron cited his concern about the dropout rate for Hispanic high school students, a growing trend that is echoed in every county in Colorado. The county is legally limited in its scope and the policy changes it can legislate, but education is one area where a community forum targeting such an issue can have a positive impact.

Salinas would like to see the county take positions on state and federal issues such as immigration reform. "We can't fill the gap that was left by the closure of Fort Collins' Human Rights Office," a casualty of the city's $5 million in municipal budget cuts, she said. "But we want the task force to reflect our priorities as a community. We want to figure out the best ways to accommodate and embrace everybody in the community."

"Latinos around the country are organizing and forming groups of influence," said Giron. "We want to become engaged in political and economic processes. And by continuing this dialogue, the county is getting some added value by bringing in a new perspective."

The task force is continually seeking feedback and input on the issues already identified, as well any other concerns. Those who wish to participate are urged to attend their two-hour monthly meetings, which include a public comment portion. Meetings are held on the third Wednesday of each month. Locations shift between Fort Collins, Loveland and Estes Park, so it is recommended that those interested contact the task force's county liaison, assistant county manager Neil Gluckman, at 498-7007 or ngluckman@larimer.org.

More information about the task force is available on the county web site at www.larimer.org/boards/.