Heritage Neighborhood Association

2004-May Meeting Minutes

Mediation and scooter regulation

May 20, 2004
7:00 p.m.
Fire station 88

Kathy Williams, the Neighborhood Program Coordinator – Mediation Department was out speaker. The mediation program is available to anybody, free of charge. It is completely confidential, and the police aren’t involved.

If you are having a problem with a neighbor, the mediation department will refer you to the correct agency, or help you themselves. The process is very fast form a few days and no longer than 2 months.

They will initiate a call to the neighbor, and let them know that there is a problem. They have interpreters in case the people don’t speak English. If the person can’t be reached, they send a letter asking them to call the mediation department. 80% of the time the neighbor and the mediation department arrive at some sort of agreement. If no agreement can be reached, both parties will be brought in and a mediator will work with both to resolve the problem.

Kathy said, that most people are afraid to approach a neighbor directly, and advised against leaving notes on their car or house. This creates a defensive attitude with the neighbor.

Please call them at: 619-1140

Officer Hogman addressed concerns about gas powered and electric scooters. Currently the state of Washington doesn’t have any laws regarding them. We need to e-mail our legislators urging them to put some laws on the books, and get these off the sidewalk and control the noise.
Mayor Pollard – Mayor@ci.vancouver.wa.us
County Commissioners - boardcom@clark.wa.gov
Governor Locke -
Office of the Governor
PO Box 40002
Olympia, WA 98504-0002
TELEPHONE
Governor’s Office (360) 902-4111
Fax (360) 753-4110