Citrus Heights council favors hybrid solution for resolving neighbor disputes

By Sara Beth Williams–
The Citrus Heights City Council last week directed city staff to pursue implementing a hybrid approach of utilizing both Problem-Oriented Policing (POP) officers along with a third-party mediation program in order to offer residents mediation services within the next year.

The City Council heard presentations on Feb. 12 regarding two different options regarding potential mediation services for neighbor-to-neighbor disputes throughout the community.

The first option included enrolling two POP officers in enhanced mediation training programs, with an estimated budget of up to $1,450. POP Officers already play a “vital role” in resolving conflicts within the community by applying problem-solving strategies to “address underlying issues and promote cohesion,” Kris Frey, Special Services Division Commander with the Citrus Heights Police, said during the Feb. 12 City Council meeting.

In mediating, POP officers would assist in coming to mutually agreeable resolution between both parties with the goal of reaching a written agreement, signed by the parties and filed for reference.

“By attending mediation training, they would only enhance their effectiveness and provide additional tools for POP officers to mediate conflicts,” Citrus Heights Housing and Human Services Coordinator Nicole Piva said.

The second recommendation by the city was a partnership with Sacramento Mediation Center, a nonprofit according to Piva, whose representatives would act as an impartial third-party mediator in situations where POP officers were unable to fully resolve conflicts between neighbors.

The estimated cost is $12,000 for a one-year pilot program, which would serve an estimated 10 households, covering an initial $25 for opening a mediation case and fees for up to two mediation sessions, which is estimated to cost $1,000 per mediation case, Piva said.

A funding source has not yet been determined, Piva said, but a request can be submitted to have the program included in the mid-year budget.

“We think that implementing a mediation program would be a very valuable resource and an added tool for city staff, especially those that regularly work with neighbors to resolve conflict,” Piva said.

Vice Mayor MariJane Lopez-Taff called both options “well-thought out” and said the city offering free mediation services would prevent residents from having to pay attorney fees and other fines. Lopez-Taff also said she would like to see two POP officers trained instead of one and was concerned regarding the limited number of POP officers who would be available “in the moment of need.”

Councilmember Tim Schaefer said there are people with “really serious mental health challenges” and worried some residents won’t want to participate. Schaefer agreed with Lopez-Taff regarding POP officers’ limited availability but also acknowledged the value of offering more enhanced mediation training to officers.

Councilmember Porsche Middleton suggested limiting mediation services to one per calendar year per resident, instead of allowing residents to potentially “abuse” the mediation services repeatedly.

City Councilmember Kelsey Nelson questioned whether residents who initially sign a resolution agreement but then renege on the agreement would be forced to pay back the city for covering mediation services. Lopez-Taff agreed and recommended that residents pay up front based on their income level as dictated by the Sacramento Mediation Center, and then the city could reimburse neighbors following a successfully reached resolution.

Piva said she would work with the city attorney to draft an agreement for residents to sign prior to engaging in city-covered mediation services. City staff plan to refine the model for mediation services and bring it back to the council for a formal vote for implementation, but a date for the topic has yet to be determined.

The Sacramento Mediation Center (SMC) has been a program provided under the California Lawyers for the Arts since 2008 and provides “confidential and neutral conflict resolution services” to residents, businesses, and various other organizations of Sacramento County to address conflict, according to city staff.

The cost of mediation services dictated by Sacramento Mediation Center is based on income. Costs begin at $25 for those making 0 to $25,000 annually, $50 for those making $25,001 to $50,000, $75 for those making $50,001 to $75,000, $100 for those making $75,001 to $100,000, $250 for those making $100,001 to $200,000, $500 for those making $200,001 to $500,000, and $1,000 for those making more than $500,000.

The topic of mediation services was brought to the City Council in response to a 2024 strategic planning meeting objective to develop mediation services options for the community at large so as to reduce undue strain on city staff. According to the staff report, neighbor-to-neighbor or resident-to-resident disputes can often involve nearly every city department and drain resources.