Wauconda to print Spanish version of quarterly letter

The village of Wauconda will publish about 250 copies of its quarterly newsletter in Spanish this fall.

The Spanish version will be distributed in addition to the approximately 4,500 copies regularly published every three months, said Linda Krajniak, assistant to the village administrator.

Krajniak said the idea for a Spanish version arose during a May communications committee meeting because the village wanted to reach out to the Hispanic community. Wauconda's Spanish-speaking population probably does not receive certain information from the village, such as when leaves are picked up or how high grass can grow before a citation is issued, she said.

"If you're in a Spanish-speaking household and you're getting the English newsletter, you'll never know that," Krajniak said.

She said Wauconda's population totals 12,614, and she estimated the Spanish-speaking population to be about 16 percent.

The village will distribute the newsletter to Spanish-speaking businesses such as Supermercado, Chiquita Boots, El Pulpo Numero Dos, and Raul's Burrito Express, Krajniak said. Newsletters will also be delivered to the library.

Sandra Moran, the bilingual coordinator at Wauconda Unit District 118, is recruiting volunteers to translate, said Tim Staton, superintendent of recreation for the Wauconda Park District. Staton and Moran are part of the diversity committee from United Partnership for a Better Community, which is trying to reach out to Hispanics, he said.

The 250 or so Spanish copies will be printed in black and white, with printing costs totaling about $160, Krajniak said.

Wauconda Chamber of Commerce member Classic Printery, which produces the current two-color newsletter for $2,200, will also print the Spanish version, she said. Wondrasek and Co. will charge about $625 to design the Spanish newsletter. It charges $1,200 for the regular newsletter.

The village wants to see what kind of response it gets before deciding to regularly print a Spanish version of the newsletter, Krajniak said. She will ask for feedback from the businesses where the newsletter is distributed.

"If we find that it's not picked up, it's not read, I would take it back to our communications committee and take it from there," she said.