NEWSCASTER

Ohio Mediation Association

January 2005

Sunday March 20, 2005

President/Newscaster Editor:  Shirley Cochran
P/F: 614 -863-4775   scochran@insight.rr.com

Vice President:  Jay Patterson
 614-403-3825  jmpmediation@ameritech.net

Immediate Past President:  Martha Antolik
937-264-2336  w004mla@woh.rr.com

Secretary:  Sheri Center  614-231-1855 F: 614-231-1855  findingcommonground@yahoo.com

ATTENTION: The NEWSCASTER Will Become A Members-Only E-Zine Publication In
January, 2005  . . . To Continue Receiving The NEWSCASTER - - - Join OMA Today!!

Annual Conference with nationally known speaker Bernard Mayer, at The Fawcett Center, and a session with Mediate.Com about our new web site benefits for OMA and our membership. (Note different date and location for Annual Conference 2005.)

President’s Column
                       by Shirley Cochran                             

. . .    A New Year’s resolution is something that goes in one year and out the other   . . .        
                                                                                                                                         Author unknown

HAPPY NEW YEAR!   

        It looks like 2005 will be a year of exciting changes both personally and in the field of mediation. By the time you receive this edition of the Newscaster, I will be packing to be back in Columbus practicing mediation and law.  My last day at the Court is January 28^th and I leave there with fond memories of interesting cases and great people.  Time for a change and living in two places was just getting to be too much.  The phone, fax and e-mails are listed above so please change your contact list to reflect the correct information.

            The UMA has been passed by the Ohio General Assembly.  To review the enrolled version of HB 303 and to see the other information provided about the bill, you can go to http://www.legislature.state.oh. us/bills.cfm?ID=125_HB_303 .  The bill itself will have a long effective date—not for six months after the Governor signs it, to permit the education of the mediation community and work on suggested agreements, and other paperwork for mediators to use under the UMA language.

            The Model Standards have reached their final revision before the action by the convening groups (AAA, ACR, and the ABA Section of Dispute Resolution).  A lot of hard work went in to the revisions after
comments by individual mediators and groups such as the forum discussions held here in Ohio last year.  We should feel proud of our contribution to the Standards (and it didn’t hurt that Ohioan Terry Wheeler was one of the six members of the Joint Committee doing the revisions) and once they are adopted by the sponsoring groups, we should all aspire to mediate in a manner to uphold them.

            We should be individually ever vigilant to keep mediation and the proper practice of mediation in the eye of the press and public.  Recently, Joe Palmer wrote a letter to the editor of the Columbus Dispatch (Sunday, December 5, 2004), to add to an article on collaborative law in the domestic relations field.  Although stating that a collaborative law process is preferred over litigation, Joe recommended a mediated dissolution, explained the process and its advantages.  In the four short paragraphs, Joe did a lot toward bringing the mediation field to a large audience in a positive manner.  Keep your eye out for such opportunities as they appear and do not be afraid to call a reporter or write a letter to the editor to either add to or refute information about mediation provided to the public.

            Have you had a chance to review your information on our web site’s directory?  If you received an e-mail from Martha Antolik with links, a user ID and password, it is very easy to change or add information about your listing.  Be sure to have the most up to date information on your listing as it is totally controlled by you now—no more waiting on someone else to do the inputting!

            Hope to see you at our meeting February 4^th at the MCL Cafeteria so we can be brought up to date on your mediation practice and hear about the Ohio Community Mediation Association’s status, concerns and opportunities for all of us in the mediation community to assist.  Meanwhile, all the best for the new year from the OMA officers.   -  Shirley

Proposed Amendments to OMA By-Laws
Concerning Election and Terms of President and President-Elect

Due to problems that have arisen with the shortening of the term of President and President-Elect, the officers of OMA after discussion at the meeting held August 6, 2004, and revisions discussed at the meeting October 1, 2004, are proposing the following changes to the By-Laws: Old language in parenthesis; new language bolded.

          This notice will be in the Newscaster for two (2) issues (November and January) followed by a ballot before the third issue (March) so as to determine if the changes will be effective for the elections to be held in March of 2005.  Please direct any comments to the officers as listed above.

Executive Board Membership and Terms

The Board shall consist of:

a.

The officers of this Association

b.

The immediate past-president for (the first year) two (2) years following election of a new president.

c.

Other such members, as appointed by the Executive Board, not to exceed four.

The terms of office of Board Members shall commence upon election by the membership and they shall serve for a period of two (2) years or until the election of their successors.

a.

TheThe (president-elect,) president, and immediate past-president shall serve (for one year each) a two (2) year term, for no more than one consecutive term.

b.

TheThe vice president may serve a two (2) year term, for no more than two (2) consecutive terms.

c.

TheThe secretary and treasurer shall serve a two (2) year term, for no more than three (3) consecutive terms

Terms

Officers shall hold office pursuant to Article IV.  The (Vice President) Secretary and Treasurer shall be elected in odd numbered years.  (Secretary shall be elected in even numbered years.)  (President-Elect) Vice President and President shall be elected (every year) in even numbered years with the exception of 2005 to account for the change in the By-Laws for the term increase from one year to two
. 

Summit Meeting of Mediation Organizations

November 29, 2004

The meeting was attended by the following organizations' representatives:

Ohio Mediation Association (OMA): Shirley Cochran, President, Jay Patterson, Vice President, and Sheri Center, Secretary; The Supreme Court of Ohio:  Bruce Heckman, Director; Ohio Minority Professionals in Dispute Resolution (OMPIDR):  Christy Cumberlander Walker, Secretary; Mediation Association of Northeast Ohio (MANO): Dave Waldorf, Treasurer and Barton A. Bixenstine, Membership Chair; Ohio Community Mediation Association (OCMA): Teresa Cusma, President; Mediation Association of Northwest Ohio (MANWO): Dick Altman; Ohio State Bar Dispute Resolution Committee (OSBA DR Committee):  Dick Altman and Shirley Cochran, Former Chair. 

• Conflict Management Week 2005 (ongoing group meeting through coordination by the Court.

• Consistent slogan about mediation (Priority)

• Video about mediation to community access channels

• Consistent Award on a yearly basis

• Lobbying to funders

• Documentation and data collection for evaluation (Priority)

• Decision maker organizations contact to educate

• People's Law School presentation

• State-wide Conference in 2006 or 2007 for National Promotion possibly on Mediator Quality Assurance

• Targeting younger consumers

• Advanced training for mediators

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

Ohio Department of Education Center for Students, Families and
Communities Office for Exceptional Children Procedural Safeguards 

Ohio State Bar Association Directory Website Revisions Make It
Easier to Use

Monthly Presenters for OMA

 by Sandra Fredrick

The Ohio State Bar Association has just completed its Web Site renovations at www.ohiobar.org.  If you visit the site, click on Public, Legal Services, ADR, and Search the Database of Neutrals, you should be able to find your information if you are already on the site.  There is also a place to click for neutrals to amend their information or contact the person in charge to provide information to be listed after the ADR link under This Is For Providers Of ADR Services.  Hopefully, you are in the directory and appropriately listed.  Contact Shirley Cochran if there is a problem.

I wanted to make the members of the Ohio Mediation Association aware that I will be coordinating the monthly presenters for our organization.  I am very interested in any appealing presenters and, if you feel you have a new program or approach that you would want to share with your peers, it would be appreciated  Please contact me with ideas as well. The following are ways to contact me:  Sandra Fredrick, (937)  225-4099 or I can be reached by e-mail at fredricks@mc.ohio.org I look forward to hearing from you.   

National Conflict Resolution Day    ACR is working to create a national day of recognition for conflict resolution, in order to increase public awareness about conflict resolution and its many benefits. Our goal is to gain a Congressional proclamation designating a National Conflict Resolution Day in 2005. ACR is coordinating its efforts with other national conflict resolution organizations, and is reaching out to local, state and international groups to build interest in holding local celebrations in conjunction with this celebration, planned for November 2005.

New Members and Additions/Corrections to the Directory

New and renewing members may send applications to OMA’s President, Shirley Cochran at 2897 Liberty Bell Lane, Reynoldsburg OH 43068 Contact Shirley for membership applications or to provide updated addresses, phone numbers, etc, for OMA’s mailing lists and directory.  A membership application can be sent electronically for your convenience or you can download it from the OMA website Mediate.Com/Ohio. If there is a correction or an addition, please let Shirley know. 

Corrections/Additions

Job Announcements  We have no announcements for this Newscaster.  There are some announcements that become available for the meetings.  Be sure to attend the meeting and check the Newscaster for notices of openings we might receive.  If you have a position you would like to have listed, provide it to the Newscaster Editor by the deadline.

Upcoming ABA Section of Dispute Resolution
Sponsored Events

April 14-16, 2005 ~ Seventh Annual Section of Dispute Resolution Conference
Millennium Biltmore Hotel (866) 866-8086, Los Angeles, CA

Mark your calendar and get ready to join us for the dispute resolution educational and networking event of the year. This year's spring conference in New York City was a tremendous success, attracting 1,400 participants. Next spring we will again provide a very high quality and phenomenal range of programming opportunities. The Conference will include more than 80 seminars and educational programs, as well as a plenary on the use of ADR in the entertainment industry. The Annual Spring Conference is an essential gathering place for dispute resolution leaders, providers, consumers, scholars, students, from small law firms, universities, large law firms, corporations, accounting offices, psychologists’ offices, and others that comprise the wonderful world of dispute resolution.

 The 2005 Conference will feature: 

• Skills Training by Leading Practitioners 

• The Legal Educators Colloquium

• The 16th Frank E. A. Sander Lecture 

• The National Conference on Court ADR  

• The Forum  on Expanding Opportunities for Minorities and Women in Dispute Resolution

• Concurrent Sessions organized into practice and interest specific tracks

• The presentation of the D’Alemberte/Raven Award 

Subject matter tracks will include: Arbitration, Community and Peer Mediation, Communication, Construction ADR, Corporate ADR, Court ADR, Employment and Labor ADR, Environment, Ethics, Family, Government ADR, Health Care ADR, Intellectual Property, Entertainment ADR, Technology, International, Practice Development and Management.  The comprehensive brochure will be mailed in December, but stay tuned to our web site for constant updates: www.abanet.org/dispute  For additional information, email to dispute@abanet.org or call 202-662-1680.

 
TRAINING & WORKSHOPS

Community Mediation Services of Central Ohio and the Columbus Bar Association

The Community Mediation Services of Central Ohio and the Columbus Bar Association present Basic Mediation Training on February 2 & 3 and April 13 & 14, 2005.  40 Hour Domestic Mediation Training will be held on May 4, 5, 10, 11, & 12, 2005.  The program will be presented by Shelley Whalen, LSW, Executive Director of CMS and a past president of OMA.  The program will be scheduled for 8:30 AM-6:00 PM and will be held at 91 Jefferson Avenue, Columbus OH, the Thurber Center.  CLE and CEUs. Contact CMS (614) 228-7191; Fax: (614) 228-7213 or www.community mediation.com.  Mailing address:  67 Jefferson Avenue, 2^nd Floor, Columbus OH 43215.

Capital University Law School Center for Dispute Resolution

The Center for Dispute Resolution, Capital Law School, 303 E Broad Street, Columbus OH 43215-3200.  Phone: (614) 236-6430, Fax:(614) 236-6956.  CDR Directors include Roberta S Mitchell and Scot E Dewhirst, Co-Directors of the Center, and Terrence T Wheeler, Executive Director of the Center.  Please visit our website  to gain more detailed information on our trainings at www.law.capital.edu/disputeresolution or to register on-line.

Conflict Management Services

Presenters for this program are Cheryl M Lowry, Ph D, Robert N Wistner, JD, Leslie Martin, BA, and Kenneth T. Davis, BA. Contact Cheryl at (614) 488-4540, Suite 126, 1500 W. Third Avenue, Columbus, OH 43212. E-mail:  cms@iwaynetnet  Website:  www.conflictmgmt.com

Cleveland Mediation Center

Cleveland Mediation Center, located in the United Office Building, Suite 906, 2012 West 25th Street Cleveland, Ohio 44113, presents  Basic Mediation Training.  January 2005 Schedule: January 22 (Sat.9-5), January 26 (Wed. 5-9), January 29 (Sat.9-5). For further information contact Bob Curtis, Training Coordinator or by phone at (216) 621-1919, extension 500.  Fax: (216) 621-3202; E-Mail: training@clevelandmediation.org   www.clevelandmediation.org

Partners In Mediation, Inc. presents Basic Mediation Training -  Welcome to the World of Mediation:  Fasten Your Seatbelts!  .  Training is scheduled for April 22 and 23, 2005 and October 21 & 22, 2005,  9200 Montgomery Road, #17A, Cincinnati, OH 45242; phone: (513) 651-1010;  www.partnersinmedaition.com   Cost: $225.00 including manual, lunch and snacks.  Space is limited to the first fourteen registrants.

To sign up for this symposium, contact Philip Moses, Symposium Chair, Technical Assistance Coordinator, Consortium for Appropriate Dispute Resolution in Special Education (CADRE) http://www.directionservice.org/ cadre/2004_conference.cfm PO Box 51360, Eugene, OR 97405.   Phone: 541-686-5060 www.directionservice. org/cadre

Challenges is a World of Conflict is the theme of the fourth bi-ennial regional conference sponsored by statewide mediation organizations in the Midwest.  Keynote speakers are  John Mengies, Ambassador to Serbia-Hertzagovinia during the Dayton Accord Talks and Jane Dockerty, author of Lessons from Waco:  When People Bring Their Gods to the Table.  Request for proposal are being solicited through September 30, 2004.  For more information contact Kathleen Bird, conference chair at kbird@courts.mo.gov  or call (816) 792-7681.

Center for Conflict Resolution (CCR)

Center for Conflict Resolution (CCR) presents a five day 40-Hour Performance-based Mediation Skills Training.
2005 Schedule: February 3, 4, 5, 11, 12, 2005;  April 21, 22, 28, 29, 30, 2005;  June 16, 17, 23, 24, 25, 2005;  August 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 2005; October 14, 15, 20, 21, 22 2005; December 2, 3, 8, 9, 10 2005.  Location: Chicago, IL.  Cost: $1,195.00 for registration received 28 days before the first day of training. The cost after this deadline is $1,250.00. The core of CCR's training is the simulated mediations and individualized coaching each trainee receives. Experienced mediator-trainers are present for the entirety of each simulation and serve as coaches, providing concrete feedback in the moment and methods to reach the trainees highest potential. Training class size is limited to ensure a 3-to-1 trainee to trainer ratio. Training focuses on the mediation process, effective communication skills and various problem-solving techniques  For more information, visit us online at www.ccrchicago.org  or contact CCR's Director of Training Services, Alyson Carrel, at (312) 922-6464 ext. 12 or email acarrel@ccrchicago.org

 Web Sites of Interest

• Ohio Commission on Dispute Resolution and Conflict Management:  www.disputeresolution.ohio.gov/

• Ohio Mediation Association: www.mediate.com/Ohio

• Mediation Association of Northeast Ohio (MANO): www.manomediate.org

• Ohio State Bar Association:  www.ohiobar.org

Newscaster Material

DIRECTIONS TO OMA MEMBERSHIP MEETING LOCATION
MCL CAFETERIA

Schrock & Westerville Roads, Westerville  Phone:  (614) 818-1700

All meetings begin at 11:30 AM with the program immediately following

(Click here for directions & map).

From Western Ohio:  Take I-70 East to I-270 North  Two exits past I-71 is Westerville Road  Take the part of the exit that will take you north on Westerville Road  Either turn right at Schrock Road, left at the light at Otterbein Road, and left into the shopping center (first driveway on left) or cross Schrock Road to next light, turn right into shopping center and follow driveway to far end of the center.

From Southwestern Ohio:  Take I-71 North through town to I-270 East two exits to Westerville Road Take the part of the exit that will take you north on Westerville Road  Either turn right at Schrock Road, left at the light at Otterbein Road, and left into the shopping center (first driveway on left) or cross Schrock Road to next light, turn right into shopping center and follow driveway to far end of the center.

From Northern Ohio:  Take I-71 South to I-270 East two exits to Westerville Road Take the part of the exit that will take you north on Westerville Road  Either turn right at Schrock Road, left at the light at Otterbein Road, and left into the shopping center (first driveway on left) or cross Schrock Road to next light, turn right into shopping center and follow driveway to far end of the center.

From Eastern Ohio:  Take I-70 West to I-270 North to the Westerville Road exit  Take the part of the exit that will take you north on Westerville Road Either turn right at Schrock Road, left at the light at Otterbein Road, and left into the shopping center (first driveway on left) or cross Schrock Road to next light, turn right into shopping center and follow driveway to far end of the center.