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Stanton officials are set to consider adding a paid Vietnamese community liaison position to the city in an effort to bridge access to services and resources for Vietnamese residents.
At the Dec. 10 meeting, city council members unanimously voted to direct staff to research establishing the new position and come back with details at a future meeting.
The vote came after former Councilmember Hong Alyce Van proposed creating a position for a Vietnamese point person that would provide more benefits than a bilingual translator.
Van said many residents come directly to her with concerns, such as street hazards because they cannot effectively communicate with other city officials.
“It is unfortunate considering that about a quarter of our population is ethnically Vietnamese, and I know that almost every day I have someone reaching out to me asking for services,” said Van.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau estimates, about 68% of residents in Stanton speak a language other than English at home.
Other cities in Orange County have implemented community liaisons.
Santa Ana approved a paid Vietnamese community liaison in 2021.
Van, who was the first Vietnamese woman elected to the Stanton City Council, said the city should ensure residents have access to critical information and resources after she left.
“My fear is that after I leave city council, a lot of residents, especially if they are Vietnamese, will no longer have access to those services,” said Van.
She also said no city staff member is being offered bilingual pay for speaking Vietnamese.
Mayor David Shawver said he would fully support adding a position, but suggested it be a volunteer position.
“Maybe if we work with a volunteer representing each segment of our community, we can blend that in with the Collaborative,” said Shawver
Stanton Collaborative is a group of Stanton agencies that meet monthly to discuss community-related issues and link residents to resources, services, and programs.
Shawver also suggested opening the program up to all ethnic groups in Stanton.
“We’re 25% Asian, 52% Hispanic, and then the rest of us,” said Shawver. “I think if we just dedicated it to one group, I think it would be unfair to other groups.”
Councilmember Gary Taylor recommended recruiting English and Vietnamese speakers for positions that opened up in City Hall and adding bilingual pay instead of creating a new position.
Van disagreed with Taylor and argued that speaking Vietnamese should not be the primary hiring criterion.
Taylor said candidates would still require all the other skills necessary to hold the position but would specifically look for candidates who speak English and Vietnamese.
Van said limiting candidates for City Hall positions would be problematic.
“I think we could say it is appreciated if the candidate has the ability to be bilingual, but I wouldn’t even necessarily want to limit it to language,” said Van.
Councilmember Donald Torres suggested the city implement a video service for residents to meet face-to-face.
“I know over a phone it might not be impersonal, but at least, if you’re seeing somebody else’s face, you could have a little more context given,” said Torres.
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