Agenda - Council - 09/23/1986 - Laserfiche WebLink

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This is bow a typical mediation might work. A police department has had a problem between two neighbors and have a lengthy file going back for years. Finally they call the Mediation Center and ask for assistance. A case worker calls both parties and gets them to agree to meet to discuss their mutual conflict, stressing that there is no charge for the program. A date is set up at a location fairly close to the parties. Volunteers are assigned to the case and agree to mediate it. When the parties meet the concept is explained thoroughly to them and they agree to abide by the process. Each is then given an opportunity to discuss the conflict and is then asked how they would ideally settle it. Most cases take one session of 1-1 1/2 hours. An agreement is written up and signed by both parties. Follow-up is made within the alloted time to determine success. Some expected results might be these. Ramsey County opened 311 cases in 1985. Of those one-third were successfully mediated, one-half were unwilling to participate and the remainder were referred to other agencies or could not be contacted. The average time from contact to case closed was 14 days compared to some of the months and even years now in court cases. Neighbors were one-third of the cases followed by landlord/tenant, business/consumer, domestic and other types of conflicts. When contacted after mediation 92% from the Brooklyn Center project said they would use the process again. To determine the potential in Anoka County, a surwey was sent to all 15 cities asking them to determine how many cases per year they might refer to mediation. Nine cities responded and said that 350 cases per year would be probable. This is what the task force proposes to do: . Set up a non-profit corporation with board members selected from throughout the county. . Set up administrative procedures with appropriate confidential processes. Solicit and train volunteers - hopefully 25 to start with. Carry on an effective outreach program whereby the media, police departments, city staffs, chambers of commerce, civic organizations and churches are aware of the program and are urged to make referrals. Select mediation sites throughout the county so that sessions can be held as close to disputants as possible. Schools, churches, city hall conference rooms are possible.