OMA Membership Meeting

Date:                      June 1, 2007

Time:                     11:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Location:               MCL Cafeteria on Schrock Road, Westerville

Attendees:             12 members and 2 non-members

1.  Welcome and Introductions.  All attendees introduced themselves by providing their name, location of services, and a brief description of their mediation job or clientele. 

2.  President’s Comments.  Jay Patterson spoke about OMA’s highly successful conference on May 11, and he thanked Phil Dunfee for his lead role and also acknowledged the conference co-sponsors—the Supreme Court of Ohio and the Ohio Commission on Dispute Resolution—for their generous support. Handouts from conference speaker Nina Meirerding were made available today to those who were unable to attend the conference.  Jay spoke of OMA’s increased fiscal health and growth in human resources and its ongoing goal to expand and serve as a truly statewide organization to promote the profession of mediation.   Jay welcomed Martha Camp as OMA’s newest appointed Board member. 

3.       Vice President’s Comments.  Phil Dunfee was not in attendance.

4.  Immediate Past President’s Comments.   Shirley Cochran reported that membership has grown significantly over the past two years.  There were 133 members for the 2006-2007 membership year, and 58 of these members have now renewed for the current year.  There are also 33 new members this year.   In addition to these 91 current members, it is anticipated that other renewals will continue to come in.

Shirley also indicated that she is asking a speaker from Stark County to present at the OMA’s upcoming August meeting on the topic of the first legal challenge to Ohio’s Uniform Mediation Act. 

               Shirley continues to seek articles to include in the newsletter.  Submittals are requested by the 20th day of each month.

5.  Treasurer’s Comments.  Sheri Center was not in attendance.  However, Jay Patterson and Shirley Cochran offered general information regarding the treasury and its balance following the conference.

6.   Secretary’s Comments.  Christy Radigan was not in attendance.

7.   OMA Annual Conference.   Shirley Cochran indicated that the participant evaluations from the recent OMA conference were very positive overall.  The only negative comments related to the room.  For the first time, participants provided suggested topics for future conferences—more toolbox presentations, particularly on power-imbalances.

                The Better World Award was presented to Marya Kolman at the Conference.

8.  Summit.  Jay Patterson reported that the Summit continues to meet and has recently conducted an online survey of mediators throughout the state.  The Summit consists of persons from the following organizations: The Ohio Supreme Court; Ohio Mediation Association; Mediation Association of Northeast Ohio; Ohio Community Mediation Association; Mediation Counsel of Cincinnatti; Ohio State Bar Association Committee on Dispute Resolution; the Ohio Society of Minority Professionals in Dispute Resolution, and the Ohio Commission on Dispute Resolution. The Summit goals are: creation of a uniform slogan to connect the general public with mediation; a comprehensive marketing plan; collection of data regarding the state of the profession in Ohio; and inspiring members of the general public to have a conversation with a mediator when a conflict arises.

9.   Case Study Group. A one-year pilot of the case study group is being coordinated by Susan Shostak and Kathleen Hoening.  The purpose of the study group is to increase members’ mediation skills.  Today’s group was cancelled, as the presenters were unable to attend.

10.   Other Business.  Sandra Frederick, who has continued her annual task of lining up speakers of interest for the bimonthly meetings, requested ideas from OMA members for the coming year.  Anyone who knows of a speaker or has an idea for a topic is asked to contact Sandra.  

                Ed Krauss gave an update on the state’s proposed budget cut for funding the Commission.  The cut would decrease the Commission’s funding by $14,000 the first year and $10,000 the second year—cuts that would affect some of the commissions highly effective programs.  Members are asked to contact their representatives in Congress to reinstate the full funding to the Commission.  Sample letters are available on www.mediate.com/ohio and Ed will be happy to supply talking points for those who write letters.  It is requested that either Ed or the Commission be copied on letters that are sent.

                Sandra Furman inquired about the possibility of OMA offering mediator professional liability insurance to its members.  New member Diane Jeffers offered to research this possibility with an insurance vendor.

                A seminar on “UMA Updates” is to be held soon in southeast Ohio, and will offer CLEs.  Contact Martha Camp for details.

                Participants were reminded of the member benefit of being listed on the WebPage directory.  It is possible to add individual member information and photographs on the member directory, and members will soon receive an email with instructions, password, and user I.D.

11.         Program.  Today’s speaker, Sarah Wallis, the Director of Education Programs from the Ohio

Commission for Dispute Resolution, presented information on Ohio’s educational programs regarding bullying.  Ohio is leading the United States as the only state that has a state Commission and a Director of Education position. Three types of bullying were defined and specific techniques for prevention were described:  relational aggression; bullying (as it is traditionally understood); and cyber-bullying.  She explained Ohio Bill 276, that requires every school to have a bullying policy in place. Research shows that the dynamics of a school will shift if each student receives 25 lessons on bullying over the course of a year.   Classes are presented in one of these three ways:  infusion into a current class, such as Health; stand-alone classes for one-half year; and comprehensive programs, which include teachers and other staff such as bus drivers.  Class content includes conflict style, emotional I.Q., problem solving, and communication skills.  Sarah also presented information on Peer Mediation in Ohio.  Cleveland has the only WAVE program in the United States—a one-half teaching position in every school in the district to provide peer mediation. Sarah provided the following handouts:  “Peer Mediation, Bullying, Conflict Resolution Education” bibliography which is available through her office and “Teaching Tolerance Anti-Bullying Quiz”, from www.teachingtolerance.org.  Thanks to Sarah for sharing information on this nationally recognized program.

12.   Adjourn.  The next meeting will be the bimonthly meeting, held 11:30am August 3, 2007, at the MCL Cafeteria on Schrock Road in Westerville.

Prepared by: Susan Shostak, OMA appointed Board member