The Mountain View Mediation Services are provided by Project Sentinel and operate under the auspices of the City of Mountain View Community Development Department. Mediation is a process in which a neutral third party assists two or more people in resolving a dispute by guiding open communication in a controlled, non-adversarial environment.

A mediator helps people to come together to talk about the issues in a calm, organized way. In the process of doing so, possible resolutions arise and the mediator guides the participants toward a final agreement of their own making. The mediator does not give legal advice, voice opinions or decide who is right or wrong.

Cases successfully handled through mediation include:

• A landlord and tenant disagree over cleaning and damage charges deducted from a security deposit.
• A neighbor's dog barks late into the night and has also caused damage to the common fence.
• A couple has a dispute with a local merchant regarding a product they purchased.
• An employee at a local company has an ongoing personality conflict with a co-worker.
• A consultant claims a business owes her additional fees for work performed on a project.

Mediation allows disputing parties to explore all of the possibilities, after fully hearing each other's views, and to choose a mutually acceptable outcome for themselves. For those who've agreed to participate in mediation, the program has helped them to reach a satisfactory resolution over 86 percent of the time.

The mediation process is informal and confidential. People who participate in mediation can feel comfortable discussing their dispute openly because nothing anyone says, does, or writes down at the meeting itself can be used later as evidence in civil court. The process does not result in court or police records.It is fast and it is free.

The City of Mountain View recruits and trains volunteers from the community to become mediators for the program. Volunteer mediators are your neighbors and peers from all professions and backgrounds.Project Sentinel staff also provide general information by telephone to residents and property owners in Mountain View regarding tenant/landlord and neighbor rights and responsibilities.

All services, including the telephone information service, are free of charge and confidential. For more information, call 650/960-0495.