HomeMy WebLinkAbout1998-07-13 City Council (14)City of Palo Alto
C ty Manager’s Report
TO:HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL
FROM:CITY MANAGER DEPARTMENT: COMMUNITY SERVICES
DATE:JULY 13, 1998 CMR: 306:98
SUBJECT:PALO ALTO MEDIATION PROGRAM
This is an information report and no Council action is required.
BACKGROUND
On June 12, 1998, Community Services Department was notified that North County
Mediation, formerly know as Peninsula Area Information and Referral Services (PAAIRS),
had declined the City’s offer to renew a contract for mediation services. The .agency
informed the City Manager that it needed additional funding in order to provide the support
services. This action left the City of Palo Alto without an agency to provide phone services
and support services for the Pa!o Alto Mediation Program, which has 22 trained, citizen
volunteer mediators.
DISCUSSION
Staffhas explored the possibility of developing a short term contract with another provider
for a five-month period, to maintain mediation and support services to the Palo Alto
Mediation Program. This interim period will also provide time lot)he Office of Human
Services staff to conduct a Request for Proposal (RFP) process for the purpose of identifying
an agency to provide mediation services for the balance of the 1998-99 fiscal year.
Staff identified Project Sentinel, which provides conciliation and mediation services to the
cities of Sunnyvale, Gilroy and Cupertino, as an acceptable interim service provider. The
agency has extensive experience in mediation services and is enthusiastic to provide interim
support. Project Sentinel has an office in Palo Alto which will house the interim services.
The City of Mountain View, had also contracted for mediation services with North County
Mediation, has indicated that it is in the process of developing an agreement with Project
Sentinel to handle its interim mediation needs.
CMR:306:98 Page 1 of 2
RESOURCE IMPACT
The short term contract with Project Sentinel will be for $16,666.66 and is within the
budgeted funding allocated for mediation services for the current year. This contract will
also leave adequate funding to support a new contract for the balance of the fiscal year.
ATTACHMENT
Attachment One:
Attachment Two:
North County Mediation Contract Termination Letter
Interim Proposal for Mediation Services
PREPARED BY: Kathy Espinoza-Howard, Administrator, Office of Human Services
DEPARTMENT
PAUL THILTGEN .
Director, Community Services
CITY MANAGER APPROVAL:
Assistant City Manager
CMR:306:98 Page 2 of 2
June 25, 1998
City of Palo Alto
D~Tartn~, tt ofCotnmunity Services
Ms. Margo Dutton, Chairperson
North County Mediation
3990 Ventura Court
Palo Alto, CA 94306
Office of
HumanServices
Dear Ms, Dutton:
The City of Palo Alto has received notice that North County Mediation (NCM) will not be
contracting with the City to provide mediation services for FY 1998,99 under the proposed
funding level. The City of Palo Alto regrets the NCM Board of Directors has made this decision
since the agency has been providing services to the City for over twenty years.
With respect to the current contract, C8098550, we expect NCM will fulfill its contractual
obligation and provide the following items on or before June 30, 1998 to aid in the smooth
transition of services:
1) The Year End report for Fiscal Year 1997-98.
2) Annual report on the participant evaluation results for FY 1997-98.
3)Summary of annual case log and statistics report for FY 1997-98. The report should
specify:
a) The number of cases each mediator has received;
b) The type of case that the statistics reflect; and
c) The status of all open and developing cases.
4)Complete roster of current and continuing mediators and new mediators; the list
should reflect the general type of cases the mediators have accepted in the past, areas
of expertise and specialty, if applicable, and the type of cases they would like to
receive.
A sample procedural packet for a mediation case from initial call to face-to-face
mediation. The packet should include any forms used throughout the case
development to the submittal of a case report by the mediator.
6) A sample daily call tracking log.
Cubberley Commtmity Center
40(i0 Middlefield Road, Suite T2
Palo Alto, CA 94303
415.329.2418
415.856.8756Fax
7)Make arrangements with Pacific Bell to allow the interim mediation provider to
assume the current Palo Alto mediation phone number (650-856-4062).
The City of Palo Alto will reimburse North County Mediation for services provided for FY
1997-98, following complete submission of the contract materials listed above and full
compliance with the terms of the Agreement:
The City of Palo Alto will be Searching for a new provider and a request for proposal will be
forwarded to your organization at the appropriate time.
Sincerely,
Kathy Espinoza-Howard, Administrator
Office of Human Services
cc:City Council
City Manager
,vt~tuman Relations Commission
Paul Thiltgen, Director, Community Services Department
Maggie Wong, Management Assistant, Office of Human Services
Liza Julian, Program Coordinator for North County Mediation
Ann Bilodeau, North County Board Member
City of Mountain View City Council
June 23, 1998
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
TO PROVIDE MEDIATION SERVICES FOR THE CITY OF PALO ALTO
ON A TEMPORARY BASIS
The City of Palo Alto is interested in reviewing proposals from qualified agencies, to operate the
Palo Alto Mediation Program. Services are being requested for a 5 month interim period starting
July 1, 1998 through November 30, 1998.
BACKGROUND
The City of Palo Alto has a population of 56,000. Although many ethnic groups are represented
in Palo Alto, 82% of the population is White, 10% are Asian/Pacific Islanders, 5% are Hispanic
and 3% are African American. In 1990 44% of the population was between 18 to 44 years of
age, 22.4% was 45 to 64 years of age and 15.6% were Over the age of 65..
Palo Alto is an affluent Community with incomes considerably higher than the regional average.
In 1990 the median family income was $68,737, compared to $53,670 in Santa Clara County.
The City also has a significant number of lower income households. Approximately 20% of
Palo Alto’s households reported an income of under $25,000 in 1990.
As of 1995 there were 25,541 housing units in Palo Alto. The cost of rental housing has risen
sharply, and at the same time vacancy rates remain less than 3% for both owner and renter
occupied units.
THE PROGRAM
The Palo Alto Mediation Program was established in 1973 by the Palo Alto Human Relations
Commission (HRC) to create a more stable living environment and to make neighborhoods more
livable. The Program provides information, referral, research, problem-solving consultation,
courtesy calls, and mediation services, primarily for rental housing and neighborhood disputes
as well as for consumer, workplace, and person-to-person conflicts.
The Palo Alto Mediation Program currently has 23 professionally trained volunteer mediators
from the community. Six of these mediators are new to the program and will begin their terms
effective July 1, 1998. Volunteer mediators serve two year terms with new mediators selected
by a panel of current mediators and an HRC representative. New members are then approved
by the City Council.
The agency selected to provide mediation services to the City of Palo Alto will need to meet the
following required objectives. (A)
Handle phone calls from Palo Alto residents for information and problem-solving. The
Pal0 Alto program currently receives approximately 1,800 telephone requests annually.
1)Provide information, research and referral services:
Track calls on intake forms
Answer basic tenant/landlord and neighborhood or consumer questions
2) Provide counseling and Problem solving consultation services:
Discuss options and approaches for self-directed resolution
3) Provide courtesy calls to the other party:
Contact second parties in dispute to share information or to clarify an issue
II Screen disputes for their suitability for mediation, assign suitable cases to the volunteer
mediators and work with the volunteers to ensure the timely and appropriate handling of
mediation cases. The Program accepts 125 cases annually.
1)Provide conciliation services:
Telephone conciliation to encourage parties involved to reach a common
understanding and satisfactory agreement without meeting face to face
2)Provide case screening and assignment services:
Screen calls for appropriateness for mediation
Assign mediator and co-mediator
Assist mediators in case development process
Maintain mediator availability schedules
3)Case Management services:
Act as liaison between the parties and the mediator to facilitate communication
Mail correspondence, information sheets, case forms, brochures, and follow up
correspondence as necessary
Update case report as mediators complete case resolution reports
Work closely with trainee mediators during their probationary period
2
III
IV
Provide and track the number of requests for rental and housing information materials
Reporting Requirements.
1) Submit status reports to the City of Palo Alto:
Progress Report 7/1/98 to 9/30/98
Final Report 7/1/98 to 11/30/98
2) Submit a final case and statistical report
The services outlined in this section are requested, if feasible. (B)
V Provide administrative and support services to the Palo Alto volunteer mediators.
i) Receive and record case reports
2) Maintain and distribute case roster
3) Maintain and distribute membership list
4) Coordinate ongoing training with the Palo Alto mediators
5) Coordinate meeting facilities for face to face mediation cases
6) Coordinate and attend meetings, mail minutes and agendas, and prepare and distribute
meeting materials
7) Keep mediators up to date on new events in the mediation field and tenant/landlord
issues
8) Coordinate participant evaluation survey
9) Conduct annual participant evaluation survey and submit summary report
The services outlined in this section will be required of the provider wh%~ selected for the full
contract. (C)
VI Provide Outreach and Publicity for the Palo Alto Mediation Program.
1) Conduct 8 presentations, forums or speaking engagements
2) Educate 180 individuals about tenant/landlord rights and responsibilities
3)Advertise program through public service announcements, local newspapers and
other forms of appropriate media