OP residents demand council rescind English only resolution
By LAURA CHILDRESS

Oak Point residents overwhelmingly called for the council to rescind its "English only" resolution during a town hall meeting Tuesday evening.

While the resolution, approved 3-2 by the council at its June meeting, has little impact on day-to-day operations at Oak Point City Hall, residents said it has divided the city and cast a negative light on it.

"I believe this resolution has been divisive, and it is a senseless resolution," said Diane Wohletz. "It's message is discriminatory and controversial.” Jervis Underwood noted that the efforts by city leaders to promote diversity and economic development have been dealt a serious blow by the English only resolution.

"I think the idea behind it is illegal immigration, and I think this is a federal issue, not civil,” Stephen Shade said. "It makes [the council] look reactionary at best, redneck at worst."  Resident Joe Stringer added, "A year ago I chose to live in Oak Point. I chose to live in Hilltown. And now I am so embarrassed by my elected officials.” As a result of the controversial resolution, Stringer said, a local Baptist church's flyer, written in Spanish, was defaced.

Matt Brown said one of his biggest problems with the resolution was the way it was passed.

"I have served on nearly all the boards in the city and one thing I've learned is you don't bypass the citizens," he said.

Brown added that a petition is being circulated requesting that the resolution be rescinded.

"Two hundred and twenty seven voted in the last election. We have over half that in signatures to rescind," he said. "What is it going to take?” Other residents called for the resignation of Councilman Jim Almond, one of the resolution's chief supporters, and his fellow council members if they don't rescind the resolution as residents demand.

Resident Diane Cogan, one of the few at Tuesday's town hall meeting in favor of the resolution, said she understood the council's wanting new immigrants to learn English.

"I think we need to do everything we can to encourage people to speak English, not to be exploited and to be successful in Oak Point," she said.

Bob Davis added that without the resolution, the city could be obligated to provide translation of city documents to any residents who don't speak English.

Councilwoman Leslie Maynard, who voted for the resolution out of patriotism, said, "I am saddened that it's come to suce a divisive argument. That wasn't the intent."  Mayor Tom Kanuch noted his opposition to the resolution. With 40,000 non-citizen soldiers fighting for the U.S., Kanuch, a former Marine, said he had a problem with allowing non citizens to fight for the U.S. but not allowing their proud non-English-speaking parents to read a document at city hall.

Councilwoman Judith Camp, who voted against the resolution in June, noted that it's a council person's job to represent the citizens and what he or she is feels is best for them, not to "make a personal, political statement that divides a community.” "What makes this sad is the resolution is the issue,” she added.

The resolution is slated for possible reconsideration at Monday night's council meeting.