Boards, Commissions and Committees

HADDONFIELD NEIGHBORHOOD DISPUTES COMMITTEE

The committee meets as needed in Room 201 of Borough Hall
(4 members, 1 yr terms)

Leah McGarry Morris
Deborah V. Vermaat
John Hempstead
Elizabeth Albert

The Haddonfield Neighborhood Disputes Mediation Commission (NDMC) is a borough resource made available to assist Haddonfield residents in amicably resolving conflicts among themselves where a complaint alleging a violation of the law is NOT filed with a Court.  The NDMC was established by an ordinance adopted by the Borough Commissioners on January 28, 1997 to provide a mechanism to deal with interpersonal community conflicts in their early stages before relationships become severely damaged and the disputes have escalated to the point where only a court can handle them.

The NDMC provides a safe forum within which to discuss conflicts with experienced mediators who can assist people in a process that will address everyone’s needs and wants.  The mediators selected to serve on the NDMC are Haddonfield residents who have been trained to remain objective, and all mediations are held in the strictest of confidence.  The mediator’s role is that of a facilitator only.  Mediation promotes harmony among disputing parties because the parties themselves play the key role in designing the resolution of their own problem.

A typical NDMC case might concern (but is not limited to) a neighborhood dispute over, perhaps, parking, care and maintenance of property, or a barking dog.  In any dispute before the NDMC, at least one party must be a Haddonfield resident and the conflict must have occurred in Haddonfield.  Matter before the NDMC shall be those disputes and/or conflicts that have not been brought before the Haddonfield Municipal Court or the Federal or State Criminal Courts.

Why Choose Mediation?

1. Mediation offers the possibility of enhancing or maintaining ongoing relationships.
2. Mediation is safe – there is no way parties can lose or compromise any legal rights or interests they may have.
3. Because mediation is a voluntary process, the parties can terminate the process at any time.
4. Most disputes are not public events.  Most people do not want their disputes made into public spectacles.  By negotiating directly with the other person(s) in a dispute, all individual participants assure privacy.  Mediation leaves the individuals in charge of problem solving with their privacy intact.
5. In an increasingly divided and adversarial society, where violence is an all-too-common method of resolving conflict, and where the justice system is bogged down and overburdened, mediation is an alternative where communication is seen as the key to understanding.
6. Resolving conflict and respecting differences are achievable ways of creating a more civil society.  By transforming the way people address conflict, we can build the foundation for a more civil society.
7. Many schools now teach our children the skills of conflict resolution and mediation.  If our children are learning how to negotiate with their peers, shouldn’t we also be setting the same example in our communities by negotiation with our neighbors when we have a conflict?

Procedures to Request Services of the NDMC
The Borough Administrator at Room 101 of Borough Hall, Phone 429-4700 ext. 215, or her designee serves as Intake Officer for NDMC cases.  Once the requestor has completed an intake form, the Intake Officer will review it to determine whether the situation complained of is appropriate for the NDMC to handle per the ordinance.

If so, the Intake Officer will ensure that there is sufficient information to contact the other party/parties who should be involved, will make that contact, and will invite them to participate in an NDMC mediation.  If all parties are agreeable to mediation, the Intake Officer will obtain the necessary forms and schedule a mediation session.  Most mediations will be held during the evening of the third Tuesday of each month in Borough Hall.  Notice of the mediation session, including the date, time and location, will be sent to all parties.

If a resolution is reached, a written agreement will be drafted and signed.  A copy of it will be given to all parties.  Any agreement reached between disputing parties will not be legally binding.  However, it is hoped that by addressing the conflict in the forum of the NDMC, all parties will be more likely to uphold their agreement, as they were the authors of the agreement.

Rules of Mediation

1. Mediation sessions are confidential and therefore only those individuals directly related to those persons involved in the case are allowed to be present.
2. Haddonfield NDMC Mediators adhere to the rules of confidentiality and are therefore prohibited from discussing the case with anyone prior to or after the mediation session.
3. NDMC Mediators do not determine guilt or impose any type of sanctions, but rather help disputing parties explore possible solutions to the problem.
4. Disputing parties are given an equal opportunity to tell how they see the situation during the mediation.
5. Parties in conflict are allowed to present pertinent information such as receipts, estimates, pictures, etc. that may help resolve the dispute.
6. NDMC Mediators may limit discussion to focus disputing parties on the immediate problem brought before the Commission.
7. All parties are expected to refrain from profanity, name calling, or threatening behavior.
8. Disputing parties are expected to work together to negotiate a fair and mutually satisfying agreement that meets the needs of both parties.

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