Menlo Watch Menlo Watch (January 28, 2004)

City's mediation service may be terminated

Citing declining demand for Menlo Park's Community Mediation Service, both city staff and the community members providing the service are recommending discontinuing it.

Since its creation in 1981, the service has often been used to help solve disputes between tenants and landlords and to provide information on their rights. Last year, however, a city staff report showed that requests for mediation had dropped dramatically.

In light of budget constraints, members of the mediation service tried to cut costs over the last six months in such ways as decreasing the number of meetings, Pat Carson, staff liaison to the service, wrote in a staff report. Costs were cut, but the demand for the service remained low -- there were 12 calls to the service in six months, with none resulting in face-to-face mediation, she said.

In fiscal year 2003-04, the city budgeted $8,284 to provide the service, with most of the costs coming from staff time, Ms. Carson said.

Area alternatives to the service include the Peninsula Conflict Resolution Center and the Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County, Ms. Carson wrote.

The City Council is scheduled to vote on whether to discontinue the service at its Tuesday, January 27, meeting, which starts at 7 p.m. in the council chambers at 801 Laurel St.
City seeks architect to gauge home-building rules

Menlo Park city officials have put out a call for a local architect, ideally one who lives and/or works in Menlo Park, to serve as a volunteer member of a monitoring committee for the city's new rules governing home-building and major remodels.

The committee, which will also include a City Council member, a planning commissioner and a member of the city's staff, will meet regularly to monitor the rules for any problems during their first six months of implementation, said senior planner Tracy Cramer.

The rules are scheduled to take effect February 12, although an effort is underway to get them repealed. For more information, call 330-6722.

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