Dear City Council,
I am writing on behalf of my mother-in-law, Glafira Garcia, who participated in today’s City Council meeting. We are disappointed that the City did not provide a Spanish interpreter, which prevented Spanish-speaking residents from fully participating and having their voices heard.
Ms. Garcia would like to request an update regarding the petition submitted on March 31, 2025. Additionally, she wishes to express concern that City leadership has not reached out to the senior community about the petition. Instead, she was reprimanded for collecting signatures—even though an email from Nikki assured us that no one would face consequences for doing so.
Furthermore, we are concerned about a double standard in how rules are enforced at the Belle Haven Senior Center. Today, Teresa Fernandez was allowed to promote services directly to seniors. When this was brought to Supervisor Rondell Howard’s attention, he stated it was acceptable because the services were a “benefit to the community.” However, seniors have been told that in order to share any information, it must first be approved by Rondell or the Senior Center Coordinator, and only then can it be posted for residents to voluntarily take.
Why was Teresa allowed to push information directly to the seniors, while others must go through an approval process? Making the building more accessible is a benefit for all Belle Haven residents, yet it seems to be treated differently.
We respectfully request that the City Council ensure that rules are applied equally and fairly, regardless of whether the information aligns with City leadership’s preferences.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
Arlene Navarro
Belle Haven Resident
