Online Form

The Interpreter and Special Assistance Request Form can now be submitted on-line. Paper copies are also available at the Greenbelt Community Center office, 15 Crescent Road, Greenbelt, MD 20770. If you are requesting interpreter services, please read the information below.

Request Procedures

Sign Language and Oral Interpreters Request Procedures for City of Greenbelt Activities

The information below explains how to request a sign language or oral interpreter for a City of Greenbelt meeting, event or program. These are referred to as City activities. If you have questions about these procedures, please contact: Primary Contact: Cathy Pracht at cpracht@greenbeltmd.gov, telephone 301-297-2208, fax 301-220-0561 or Secondary Contact: Bonita Anderson at banderson@greenbeltmd.gov  telephone 301-474-3870, fax 301-441-8248.

Where can I find out about a City of Greenbelt activity?

Activities are listed in the Events section of the city website at www.greenbeltmd.gov. The Greenbelt News Review also gives information about City meetings and events and usually contains advertisement titled “City Information”. The City also mails a quarterly Newsletter to all City households. The Recreation Department produces a quarterly Activity Guide.

For what City activities may I request an interpreter?

You may request an interpreter for any City activity. These activities include City Council meetings, work sessions and/or public hearings, advisory board and committee meetings, Recreation Department classes and programs, etc.

There are many meetings, events and programs held in Greenbelt. Some of these activities are run by the City. However many are run by other organizations or groups. If the activity you want to attend is not a City activity, check with the sponsoring group to learn how to request an interpreter for their event. The directions below apply only to City activities.

How do I request an interpreter for City activities?

1. Fill out and submit the Interpreter & Special Assistance Request Form on-line or request a paper copy at the Community Center Office.
2. Please complete and submit your request at least two weeks in advance or by bringing the request form to the Community Center main office at 15 Crescent Road Monday-Friday from 9:00-5:00.
3. After your request has been submitted, the City will contact you using the method of contact you have indicated on the Interpreter Request Form (email, phone, fax, etc.) when an interpreter has been scheduled to confirm arrangements.
4. If you do not receive a confirmation from the City one week before the event, contact the primary or secondary contact listed above.
5. We recommend you contact the City two weeks in advance. If it is less than two weeks, the City will still try to schedule an interpreter but cannot guarantee that an interpreter will be present. The City will email, fax or call you to let you know.

How do I cancel my request?

If you cannot attend an activity for which you have requested an interpreter, please cancel by contacting the City three business days before the activity. To cancel, please contact the primary or secondary contact listed above or contact/visit the Community Center main office. If you fail to cancel your request within three business days without strong justification (sudden illness or a death in the family), the City reserves the right to charge you whatever the interpreter charges the City.

What if I arrive late for the event?

Interpreters will wait up to twenty minutes after the activity’s scheduled start time. If you do not arrive within that time, the interpreter’s services may cease (stop).

What if the activity is cancelled (bad weather, illness of the presenter, and similar reasons)?

Sometimes an activity has to be cancelled on short notice. If you have requested an interpreter for an activity, City staff members will try to contact you. City staff members will also try to contact the interpreter. If an activity is cancelled, City staff members will also put a sign on the door of the building where the event was to be held.

What if I need to meet with a City staff member?

If you need to meet one-on-one with a City staff member, contact primary or secondary contact above. Tell them what you need to discuss and the name of the City staff member with whom you need to meet (if you know the name). Sometimes a meeting with a staff member is brief. Writing a note back and forth or other similar method works well. But some meetings are more complicated and an interpreter will be needed. The City will work with you to determine what the meeting will need.

What if I want to give feedback to the City about my interpreter?

The City wants to keep a list of interpreters that deaf City residents prefer. Please provide feedback about your interpreter to Cathy Pracht.

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