HomeMy WebLinkAbout5/5/2026 Item 7e, Hermann and Vethavanam - Staff Agenda CorrespondenceCity of San Luis Obispo, Council Memorandum
City of San Luis Obispo
Council Agenda Correspondence
DATE: May 5, 2026
TO: Mayor and Council
FROM: Greg Hermann, Deputy City Manager
Prepared By: Samantha Vethavanam, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Admin Specialist
VIA: Whitney McDonald, City Manager
SUBJECT: ITEM #7e. – GRANT AGREEMENT FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A
MEDIATION SERVICES PROGRAM
Staff received the following questions, regarding the recommended action to authorize
the City Manager to execute a one-time agreement with the Center for Dispute Resolution
at San Luis Obispo College of Law (CDRSLO) for the establishment of a program to
provide community mediation services and authorize the disbursement of funds in the
amount of up to $10,000. The questions are below with responses provided verbatim by
Erica Flores Baltodano, Campus Dean, San Luis Obispo College of Law and Interim
Director, CDRSLO, shown in italics:
1) County Contribution: What financial contribution is the County making to
support CDRSLO?
“We are finalizing a contract for $20,000 in start-up funding from the County via
the courts. This is in addition to the $43,000 service contract beginning in July for
dispute resolution services at San Luis Obispo County Superior Court (the Board
of Supervisors delegates management of Dispute Resolution Program Act funds
to the Court).
In addition to these County funds, we have met with individual County Supervisors
who are eager to connect CDRSLO with County departments interested in
partnering with CDRSLO to provide dispute resolution services to constituents, as
Creative Mediation once did. We will pursue other pots of relevant grant funding
from the County to support ongoing infrastructure costs as available and pursue
County contracts for service consistent with CDRSLO’s model of sustainable
phased growth.”
ITEM 7e. – GRANT AGREEMENT FOR MEDIATION SERVICES PROGRAM Page 2
2) Cal Poly Contribution: What is Cal Poly's financial commitment to this effort?
“Discussions with Cal Poly for start-up funding and restoration of the SLO Solutions
program are ongoing and multi-faceted, particularly considering Cal Poly’s recent
focus on implementing CSU’s bold new Student Success Framework. We reported
to the City and Cal Poly as soon as we received start-up funds from the County
and will report to Cal Poly and Cuesta College if we receive start-up funds from the
City to demonstrate a growing collective community effort to restore critical
community mediation services.”
3) Service Area Eligibility: Will the mediation services be limited to those within
City limits, or will they be available to residents throughout the County or
just outside City limits?
“CDRSLO will be the only community mediation center in San Luis Obispo County,
with the closest neighboring centers being located in Santa Maria to the south,
Fresno to the east, and Monterey to the north. We aim to fill this gap in available
dispute resolution services in accordance with CDRSLO’s model of sustainable
phased growth. As contracts become available for particular constituents,
populations, or demographic areas CDRSLO will serve those San Luis Obispo
County residents. For example, the contract with the Superior Court that is
anticipated to begin in July will provide a spectrum of dispute resolution services
for SLO County residents who have or are considering filing small claims court
claims.
As additional contracts or grants are acquired with other public, educational or
foundation partners, services will be provided to those constituents accordingly.
Start-up funds received from the City of San Luis Obispo will not be used to directly
fund the costs of ongoing service delivery to any residents but, rather, will be used
to prepare the center to deliver services as additional contracts are established to
serve particular areas or groups within the county.”
4) Fundraising Status Update: What is the status of fundraising for startup
costs? How close is CDRSLO to receiving the funding needed to begin
providing services?
“We have raised $34,600 from community members and anticipate receiving an
additional $20,000 from the County (as noted above) once the contract is finalized
toward our initial short-term fundraising goal. A $10,000 grant from the City of San
Luis Obispo will help ensure that we meet our original goal and are able to establish
the infrastructure needed to begin service delivery. CDRSLO will begin providing
small claims mediation services in July and as funding and other contracts become
available, we expect to start expanding services in the fall.”