Welcome to Skagit County

October 2, 2007

SKAGIT COUNTY MEDIATION SERVICES RECOGNIZES VOLUNTEERS
Commissioners sign Proclamation declaring October Conflict Resolution Month

SKAGIT COUNTY – Skagit County Mediation Services held their first ever Volunteer Recognition Luncheon today to recognize 25 volunteer mediators and advisory board members who collectively contribute more than 1,000 volunteer hours per year to the program. The luncheon was hosted by Smith/Vallee Gallery in Edison.

Earlier in the day, the Skagit County Board of Commissioners proclaimed October Conflict Resolution Month in Skagit County. The proclamation stated that Skagit County Mediation Services is a volunteer based organization relying on more than 20 volunteer mediators and advisory board members who devote thousands of volunteer hours supporting, promoting, and providing services and resolving conflicts in a collaborative manner. More than 80 percent of disputes that go to mediation result in mutually satisfactory settlement agreements. 90 percent of these agreements are complied with by the parties voluntarily. “This is a very efficient program that not only saves Skagit County money, but is a compassionate way to help our citizens resolve conflicts without having to go to court,” said Skagit County Commissioner Ken Dahlstedt.

Volunteers who contributed more than 200 hours of volunteer service since the inception of Skagit County Mediation Services in 2000, were:

• The late Alan Christoferson
• Ron Feld
• Bill Johnson
• George Nesmith
• Dee Raudebaugh
• Kathy Reim
• Nancy Waters

Skagit County Mediation Services provides low cost mediation and conflict resolution services for a wide variety of disputes including divorce and parenting plans, asset division, business/consumer issues, neighborhood conflict, parent/teen conflict, employment disputes, victim/offender reconciliation, landlord/tenant problems, elder care issues, and group mediation. “Statewide dispute resolution centers served more than 58,000 people saving the courts more than $1 million,” said Director Andrea Vallee.

For further information, contact:

Andrea Vallee
Director: Skagit County Mediation Services
360-419-7602