Category: Ohio

Mediation News in Ohio

Ohio AG Adds Public Records Mediation

Ohio Public Records Law Author: Stephen Alexander – The Ohio Attorney General established a new mediation policy to reduce lawsuits filed to get public records and make it easier for government officials to handle open record requests.

Mike DeWine, the Attorney General, said in a press release that the “Public Records Mediation Program will protect the rights and interests of both Ohioans and their local officials by helping resolve disputes before parties turn to time consuming and costly litigation.”

The offer of free mediation services through the attorney general’s office provides an alternative resolution to litigation when a public records request is denied by a government agency. The dispute must be with a city, county, township or other state entity and both parties in the dispute must agree to participate in mediation to be eligible for the program.

Mediation requests can be made by filling out a form on the attorney general’s website: www.ohioattorneygeneral.gov.

Mediation Over Reservoir Project in OH

Reservoir Project Dispute in Mediation Author: Stephen Alexnader – The city of Fremont, Ohio and HM Miller Construction plan to meet in a mediation next Tuesday over a dispute amounting to millions of dollars. The dispute arose over a change to a reservoir project.

While the dispute process moves forward, the reservoir site sits idle. City officials for Fremont hope that the project will be completed by October. The mediation session will consist of at least two officials from the city, their lawyer and various experts.

The city says that only about $12,000 of the $12.8 million change to the reservoir project are owed by the city. The construction company requested the mediation.

Other parties involved in the dispute process concerning the reservoir project are: American Environmental Group, Ohio Farmers, and Trucco Construction.