In 2001, the Legislature passed Rep. Ralph Becker’s H.B. 132 that created Title 63, Chapter 46c, Governmental Dispute Resolution Act. In 2002, the state of Utah received a grant from the Hewlett Foundation to assist in establishing alternative dispute resolution (ADR) as the first step in resolving conflict in agencies of government. In the spring of 2003, Governor Leavitt issued an Executive Order endorsing dispute resolution and creating the ADR Council. Under the leadership of Chairman Palmer DePaulis and with the assistance of consultant Michelle Straube of CommUnity Resource Inc., the members of the council did excellent work in educating themselves about dispute resolution, and implementing the grant with mediation pilot programs in the Department of Human Services Office of Licensing, the Department of Workforce Services, the Career Service Review Board, and now the Department of Commerce.
By 2004, a full-time coordinator was necessary to fully implement the goals of the grant and the Executive Order, expected to be reissued by Governor Walker before she leaves office. In December, 2004, Ms. Susan Bradshaw, a local attorney and mediator was hired. Ms. Bradshaw will leave a position as Director of the Schooley Mediation Center at the J. Reuben Clark Law School at Brigham Young University to become the Alternative Dispute Resolution Coordinator for the state. She is also the former Director of Utah Dispute Resolution. Ms. Bradshaw has a law degree from the J. Reuben Clark Law School and a master’s degree in Conflict Resolution from the Straus Institute of Conflict Resolution at Pepperdine School of Law. She will continue as part-time faculty at the J. Reuben Clark Law School.
The ADR Council and the new coordinator will continue to work on the pilot projects, offer training in conflict resolution to state employees and work with government leaders to create consensus building processes on all levels of government.
Ms. Bradshaw may be reached at 801-538-3306 or at sbradshaw@utah.gov .
- ADR/