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As a local government official, you work in an environment where conflict is inevitable. If handled properly, conflict can be a powerful vehicle to clarify communications, to build stronger working relations and to reach consensus. The Conflict Resolution Services for Government Officials Program is designed to assist local government officials in the effective negotiation of contested issues. Examples of issues regularly encountered by local governmental officials include disputes about budgets, personnel issues, and/or controversial public policy issues.
Initiated in 1991, the Program is administered by The Ohio Commission on Dispute Resolution and Conflict Management and is co-sponsored by The County Commissioners Association of Ohio, The Ohio Municipal League, The Ohio Township Association, The Supreme Court of Ohio, and The Ohio Judicial Conference.
The Program provides a referral network of local officials who assist with the assessment and resolution of governmental disputes. Mediation advocates are trained elected officials who are neutral peers of the disputing parties. Mediation advocates may be paired with facilitation or mediation experts to provide a team approach to problem solving. The intervention of this outside team can be helpful to provide a fresh approach to the conflict. The advocates meet with the parties to identify the issues and options for resolving the dispute(s). Public officials have found that using a third party often helps to successfully overcome differences, to reach agreements and to prevent disputes from escalating into an impasse.
Participation in the Program is voluntary and communications made in a mediation are confidential under Ohio Revised Code 2317.07. Solutions or decisions are generated by and agreed to by the parties involved in the dispute, not by the mediators.
Since 1991, over one hundred and ninety-five mediation advocates have been trained through basic skills workshops offered annually. Advocates available for referral include judges, municipal officials, county commissioners and township trustees from across Ohio. To date, over seventy -three cases have been referred to the Program.
Interested parties should first contact one of the sponsoring organizations or The Ohio Commission on Dispute Resolution and Conflict Management for more information.
The Ohio Commission on Dispute Resolution
and Conflict Management
Maggie Lewis
614-752-9595
www.disputeresolution.ohio.gov
The County Commissioners' Association of Ohio
John Leutz
614-221-5627
www.ccao.org
The Ohio Municipal League
Sue Cave
614-221-4349 or 1-800-561-3597
www.omunileague.org
The Ohio Township Association
Heidi Fought
614-863-0045
www.ohiotownships.org
The Supreme Court of Ohio
Crevon Tarrance
1-800-826-9010
www.sconet.state.oh.us/dispute_resolution
The Ohio Judicial Conference
Laurence B. Stone
614-466-4150 or 1-800-282-1510
www.state.oh.us/ojc |
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