NEVERSINK – The Neversink Town Justice Court may be pushing the “go” button on translation services following Town Justice Brent Gotsch’s briefing of a proposed contract for a telephone-based translation service Wednesday night.

These proposals come as Gotsch recounted an increase in arraignments involving defendants who don’t speak English as their primary language.

According to Gotsch, state rules prohibit police officers from translating for defendants, as it presents a conflict of interest. After doing some research, Gotsch reached out to the Office of Justice Court Support, which pointed him to the same “Language Services” line used by the state.

The service offers interpreters for multiple languages, including Spanish — predicted by Gotsch to be the most common need. The company charges 99 cents per minute and bills only for actual use.

“There’s no monthly or yearly fees. It’s basically use as you use it,” noted Gotsch, based on his understanding.

He stressed that a decision wasn’t needed right away, but he did want the board to consider the proposal, as the court continues to see more non-English-speaking defendants. Gotsch also noted that, as an access-to-justice issue, “we’re supposed to provide translation services.”

Councilperson Ric Coombe asked whether the town must buy any “upfront equipment.” Gotsch responded that he didn’t believe so. Although the company might recommend additional accessories, the service itself operates by dialing a number with an assigned code that connects the caller to an interpreter over the phone.

He also noted that the service is already recommended at the state level and offers the most reasonable cost structure. Other options may exist, he said, but would probably be more expensive since the town would have to contract with them independently.

Councilperson Scott Grey asked whether the company provides written Spanish transcripts. Gotsch was unsure, though he noted that all arraignments, including interpreted exchanges, are recorded on the court’s voice recorder, which would allow the court to obtain transcripts later if necessary.

The service covers a wide range of languages. The list provided to the board highlighted Spanish and Chinese among the most commonly used, though Gotsch said the full list is much longer.

Councilperson Nicole Gorr asked whether local courts use the same service. Gotsch responded that the Office of Justice Court Support indicated that “most in the state” utilize it, though he had not personally confirmed usage with colleagues in neighboring towns.

The board agreed to move forward with authorizing Gotsch to sign the contract. With a motion by Coombe and a second by Grey, the authorization passed with no opposition.

“If [something] is needed [like a phone], I’ll let you guys know,” stated Gotsch.