Agenda - 12-04-1978 - Laserfiche WebLink

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t 814 t E TO THE OR.01sE COUNTY BOAIRD Or COnaSSIONERS Two years ago two members of the local branch of the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom came before you to ask your endorsement of a project which has grown from our years of monitoring the local district court - a center for settling neighborhood disputes. At that time you endorsed the proposal and placed us in the hands of your legal couhsel to clarify and determine the legality and feasibility of such a center. The proposal was presented also to the Boards of Aldermen of Chapel Hill and Carrboro, who also placed us in-the hands of their legal counsel2 and as a result of this action, the attorneys of Orange County, Chapel Hill and Carrboro met together. They agreed that there should be some mechanism to resolve minor disputes other than Criminal District Court or Small Claim Civil Court and that minor civil disputes that cannot be resolved in such courts be directed to such a center. The attorneys of the three boards advised that the pro- posal be placed in the hands of the Orange County Bar Association. The Bar Association in turn recommended that Gretchen Dunn and Richard Taylor advise us on setting up a Center. Gretchen Dunn has been too involved with her own cases to be active as counsel but Dick Taylor has served us well. Through his efforts as head of Legal Services for Orange -Chathan Counties we are now inaorpor- ated as a tax-free organization. He has also agreed to serve on the board of directors of the Center as Well as serve as counsel. Training was of course required and the search for trainers for mediation was circuitous. It was finally suggested that we 4 get in touch with the Community Relations Service of the U.S. Department of Justice. This we did and as a result received training from Mrs. Marjorie Curet of that Department. Mrs. Curet was pleased with the assortment of volunteers who had agreed to take the training - people with a range in age, black, whitelmale and female, fifteen in all. She has now pronounced us trained and ready to take cases.