Tuesday, October 13, 2026, 1:30 p.m. (Denver time), City & County Building, Room 391
The Community Planning and Housing Committee received a presentation from Human Rights and Community Partnerships (HRCP) staff on changes to the citywide mediation services contracts. Staff explained that the program moved from a single-vendor retainer model with Find Solutions (in place since 2012 at $177,000/year) to a three-vendor on-call model launched in April 2026, following an RFP that drew nine proposals. Find Solutions' funding is roughly 80% spent this year, so new City Council cases will be routed to Paradigm for the remainder of the year. Council members raised concerns about contract placement within HRCP rather than General Services, the loss of vendor continuity, in-person versus virtual mediation, and whether 2027 funding will be sufficient. The chair proposed asking colleagues to pool remaining office budget funds and asking the mayor to add money in the 2027 budget. No vote was taken; the item was discussed.
0:05 Welcome back to this weekly
0:06 meeting of the community
0:07 Planning and Housing Committee
0:09 with Denver City Council.
0:13 Your community Planning and
0:16 Housing Committee starts now.
0:26 Join at Ukrainian hasn't and
0:28 send about Chair Cheney
0:30 represent Northwest Denver
0:34 District. Greg, we have a
0:38 pretty easy agenda kind of ice
0:38 council close front People
0:42 that makes these a Scottish
0:43 court. But before we get
0:45 room and do introductions
0:45 started, then we go around the
0:47 starting with Good afternoon,
0:48 everybody. I'm so your
0:52 district. Made those a touch
0:55 and go there for a second.
0:56 Good to see And afternoon,
0:58 Paula Cashman so tender
0:59 district 6, good afternoon.
1:00 Diana Rivera, Campbell,
1:04 Southeast Denver District
1:06 court. The key them and we
1:13 have our partners, Community
1:14 Planning 19 here in its
1:15 community partnerships. We're
1:16 hearing that a stand for
1:17 retire to deputy director for
1:21 human rights and community
1:22 partnerships to a minor injury
1:23 is I am the marketing and
1:23 communications manager for
1:30 interesting It's Things
1:33 started. So we're today to go
1:36 over a change in the citywide
1:38 mediation benders that you
1:38 have requested and that we
1:39 want to make sure that
1:42 everyone is informed about. I
1:43 thought would start with kind
1:49 of very the sec information.
1:49 As you know, interesting pm
1:50 Eastern, the mediation
1:55 services at no costs for
1:56 conflicts involving city, the
1:57 city county of Denver
1:58 employees, community members,
2:02 members of groups, the program
2:04 offers voluntary Community
2:07 Beast dispute resolution
2:09 outside court So we do not
2:11 accept he or the venues do not
2:11 accept pieces that are
2:14 currently involved in court
2:17 proceedings who can request
2:18 mediation city agencies,
2:18 including City Council, our
2:22 boards and commissions are,
2:24 know, it's like you are
2:26 familiar with and Denver
2:27 residents that are contracting
2:28 with city services that
2:29 require some type of conflict,
2:34 peace, mediation. We can kind
2:35 of go through the process a
2:35 little bit later. If anyone
2:39 wants to dive into that, but
2:42 basically a form to submit to
2:43 teachers, the We review that
2:45 form the eligibility. And then
2:46 we assign it to one of our
2:53 mediation I have the assigned
2:55 vendor context. Involved
2:55 parties to critics scheduling
3:02 and next steps. And that's for
3:05 The citywide Mediation
3:06 services program background.
3:07 So this is just a high level
3:08 back or They can to some of
3:11 that details later. A nice But
3:14 this is a service that funded
3:16 by a jcps and available to no
3:18 cost for city agencies and
3:24 community members between 2012
3:24 2026 funding solution was the
3:28 sole provider for the services
3:31 between that time. 2.1 or
3:32 2 million dollars is and where
3:34 to find solutions in 2025.
3:35 Inches up. Review the program.
3:38 He lit the We gathered input
3:40 from high use agencies and
3:42 then that informed the future
3:45 service model that you see
3:47 2025, there were 9 proposals
3:50 and 3 vendors were selected.
3:53 So in APRIL of is when our 3
3:53 b#
3:56 model was officially
3:59 launched for some historical
4:04 context for you we have the
4:10 one lot it was a 14,715 months
4:14 Which is 177 concrete 2022.
4:15 PRESIDENT, that was just a
4:16 monthly retainer every Didn't
4:20 change. Agencies work directly
4:22 with solutions Jersey can
4:26 manage the contracted
4:27 payments. What it causes some
4:28 limited visibility for agents
4:33 up into the caseload, some of
4:36 litigation cost. And although
4:37 feedback was generally
4:38 positive regarding the
4:39 responsiveness and the
4:42 mediation itself, we really
4:43 did identify some
4:44 opportunities for us to
4:47 improve our record, keeping
4:52 the outcome tracking. Overall,
4:55 just mediator diversity. 2025,
4:58 why was that the is that the
5:01 contract itself? And even the
5:05 sole the mediation widely used
5:07 citywide so more agencies
5:10 beginning to access the
5:12 service vaccine here. Find
5:17 solutions, requested that
5:17 retain or increase, which is
5:19 not an option. Pretty just
5:21 retainer model limited our
5:22 visibility into caseload
5:22 outcomes and musicians of
5:27 cases per We identified an
5:28 opportunity to better align
5:30 those costs with the optional
5:32 services rather than a flat
5:35 rate contract. And so some of
5:36 the things that we've added
5:38 into this new model and scope
5:40 of work and some of the
5:41 performance expectations. So
5:47 one example would be a vendor
5:51 has one day to acknowledge
5:51 this is 3 days to establish
5:51 contact with the person and
5:55 then 14 days to schedule
5:57 mediation service and swears
5:58 before we didn't have that. We
6:02 needed to the scope of the
6:04 how the model changed. Who
6:10 would form of that in 2025?
6:11 Interesting pm. Biden all high
6:13 usage and together to really
6:14 review the needs and discuss
6:15 what the future model could
6:19 look like. We heard from
6:21 multiple agencies that the
6:22 multi vendor on call structure
6:25 would be the best general
6:27 Services let a competitor are
6:33 rsp. Like I said 9 proposals
6:34 were received cost penalty
6:39 agencies r and d t p t officer
6:43 mind to cpd value. Those
6:46 proposals and vendors were
6:48 selective. So find solutions,
6:49 paradigm and project mediation
6:51 That's where we are today.
6:54 Some of the steps that we took
7:01 we as and just bit. Our team
7:03 is that we develop it wants to
7:03 Web page. It's a very
7:08 comprehensive web We did this
7:09 prior to APRIL 2026. And it
7:12 really does provide some
7:15 really good. I think and
7:17 access intake It is definitely
7:18 a more accessible form than
7:20 what we had before and really
7:21 does just mind how those
7:25 requests come whether that be
7:31 from their offices and So
7:32 Twenty-twenty 6, we began with
7:35 city agencies to update their
7:36 mediation information supplied
7:39 the language to mean we put
7:41 him prison. He shunned into
7:43 city leaders on the updated
7:44 mediation or executive
7:51 director. Meetings notifying
7:54 all city agency person. But
7:55 also breaking new ahead of the
7:57 launch. We did also have a
7:58 nice little announcement in
8:00 our I know not everybody reads
8:02 death all of the time, but we
8:04 did have an announcement in
8:05 our Denver employee will
8:10 attend within them. I'm so
8:13 funding the before APRIL 2026.
8:15 We have one vendor. It was
8:16 find solutions. It was 110,000
8:22 prove are. In 2026. We will
8:23 batters the program. Funding
8:29 will not peace and person
8:33 evenly between each vendor. So
8:35 59 key this year was a little
8:36 bit different because we
8:37 started and people. So that's
8:38 a prorated number. But you'll
8:46 see for find solutions. How
8:46 the work is a sine. So
8:48 agency's agency proposed were
8:50 really based on utilization
8:54 with some of higher agencies
8:54 intentionally just to get
8:59 across all 3 of the and other
9:05 agencies to distribute across
9:05 funding from So Find
9:07 Solutions, llc has ddp and
9:08 will protect and you city
9:11 council and hairs on public it
9:15 deep into Office Independent
9:17 Monitor. And up to you come
9:18 mediation pros have our Office
9:20 of Human Resources career soon
9:22 as authority board and parks
9:25 and So residents are knows
9:30 Chili's request or receive to
9:33 a central mediation and cases
9:34 are signed the start Carnival
9:37 rotation all 3 So rotation is
9:40 not set in stone. They can be
9:44 adjusted based on the station
9:45 capacity. Operational needs
9:46 performance are complex. That
9:46 is a question that come in
9:47 that we can address a little
9:52 later on is how would you all
9:55 know if contract meant look
9:58 that's looking like? So talk
9:59 something I want to highlight
10:03 here is the funding Like I
10:07 mentioned before. There so
10:10 they learned spent 35,490 with
10:16 8,007 30% spent with this
10:16 the currently balance of about
10:18 year. That means for you all
10:21 is that open, he says, will
10:22 continue to drive, intends to
10:26 remain balanced. Any cases
10:28 that were initiated rather 4
10:32 continue to do was find as of
10:37 9.23 To find solutions not be
10:38 accepting he says except the
10:39 city Council dps part of
10:44 consent of question, head of
10:45 And a reminder that the
10:51 remaining balance is not fully
10:53 available for me. Is driving
10:55 find solutions utilization?
10:57 What have we seen in past are
10:58 being brought forward is
11:01 although the need seize were
11:04 assigned across all lenders,
11:07 the actual demand has not been
11:09 evenly dis And so Denver
11:12 animal protection accounts for
11:16 most find solution. He said
11:18 barking dogs, if you find
11:20 solutions also retain islands,
11:21 both Inc, cases like
11:24 convention for years that part
11:27 of this new contract period.
11:28 Case customary to putting all
11:29 the time involved, the
11:31 complexity and also the
11:34 services that what does the
11:37 new models showing us is that
11:38 3 b#
11:39 model it does provide
11:42 greater visibility overall for
11:44 referrals for services
11:46 spending and the to model
11:49 really does strengthen the
11:50 capacity to service and
11:51 validate some of those
11:54 operational changes challenges
11:55 that are coming the year. The
11:58 station varies by agency keys
12:01 complexities. So we're
12:02 starting to get that data
12:04 really understand what the
12:08 high utilization agencies are.
12:12 Teens and a spender for
12:12 parking facility repressed
12:18 that are being assigned to the
12:19 contracts believe evening. And
12:20 a portable affordable pressure
12:22 of the limit. So talk a little
12:28 bit of to salute Houston just
12:34 a little And so mentioned some
12:37 of and have released all
12:41 coming into vendor was really
12:44 into establishing marks.
12:47 That's part of ongoing will
12:48 not hurt contract case
12:52 completion as example monthly
12:56 statistics that are required.
12:59 What about recommendations be
13:00 incurring issues that they're
13:04 seeing, kind issues in our
13:05 challenges. It's part of their
13:07 work bring that back to why is
13:09 it there? And he there is
13:11 points that there can be some
13:16 process improvement for U.S.
13:18 Annual reports again, overall
13:20 just monitoring referrals
13:20 service, timelines and case
13:24 outcome. Something I did want
13:27 to mention here is that a
13:30 juror cp, our role of the
13:31 information that we're
13:32 receiving, I can get it
13:34 continues to its not
13:34 identifying and it's limited
13:36 to just the thing that that's
13:40 necessary to really have some
13:43 fiscal on into 4 reporting
13:47 purposes. So it's still
13:48 completely confidential. This
13:51 next that wanted to talk about
13:55 is the mediation versus
13:56 facilitation. So I know that
13:57 myself, even I'm but his
13:59 mediation, but facility I
14:00 thought a print on here as
14:04 defined in our contracts. So
14:05 mediation is a specific
14:08 conflict are disputing a small
14:10 number or even individuals or
14:12 small groups participants
14:14 directly involved in the
14:17 conflict. And goal of
14:17 mediation. A mutually
14:21 acceptable agreement.
14:22 Facilitation. On the other
14:24 hand is a broader group. Our
14:26 community process. So it
14:29 identifies them shared goals
14:31 guides discussion that
14:32 develops. Community agreements
14:33 are norms and supports more of
14:38 a collective decision we need
14:43 We were able to word so mind
14:45 what mediation is versus what
14:51 facilitation ends see wanted
14:56 to also want As estimate so
14:58 that you can get an idea of
15:00 flat mediation costs versus
15:02 facilitation. So this first
15:05 one here, we're basing of you
15:07 know, the vendors $125 per
15:13 hour. Great. If they had 6
15:16 hours, $62. The estimated cost
15:20 to 7.75 and lets U.S. Start to
15:22 finish for 6 mediation key
15:24 Community facilitation. With
15:26 hours that are needed to
15:30 prepare for a meeting,
15:31 supposed to actual it's built
15:32 on 100. And 25. That's $2000
15:39 from one section. It's a
15:42 location itself is also a lot
15:47 more costly to mediation. So
15:48 the actual average, hours Re
15:49 60 that proceeding to
15:50 mediation, like I said, from
15:51 intake to finish is about
15:55 7.75, for 16 versus Weinfuss
16:01 peace session at Let's talk
16:04 about our nose and choice we
16:07 included here that find
16:09 solution has handled are no
16:10 community related matters.
16:12 Throughout the we thought
16:13 members who might be helpful
16:18 for you so 2022. There was for
16:20 2023, 15 2024 And this year we
16:27 have 7 so far of that 8.18, of
16:28 the 45 matters that refer that
16:31 were referred You your
16:33 colleagues. So we have heard
16:35 you all that you have
16:36 expressed interest in
16:36 expanding our and, you know,
16:39 need learn us of the mediation
16:45 program. It could increase
16:47 demand existing program to
16:48 spread awareness That's all in
16:49 how open it up for questions.
16:52 I know going to and we're glad
16:52 to be here and we're glad to
16:55 answer any questions you MAY
17:04 Incue. We can have pretty
17:05 QAnon that MAY so far. We
17:07 haven't just a year a for Look
17:12 myself and the catchment for
17:15 from headcount think you a
17:16 chair thank you for the
17:18 information. They think it's a
17:19 valuable services are really
17:23 important. Confused a little
17:27 bit on the slide 10 where you
17:29 have you see that new cases
17:30 would be the school
17:32 coordinating Committee. But
17:35 that's already ongoing. So how
17:36 is that a new case and how
17:39 does also affect like find
17:41 solutions? Good committee for
17:42 the tiny home village in
17:45 Overland. So how did those 2
17:47 things interact? So could tps
17:49 committee was it's just
17:55 ongoing work. Considered like
17:56 That's group that they're
17:59 going be working forward. It
18:02 doesn't mean that overland can
18:03 be assigned to different
18:05 vendor. It just means for this
18:07 specific one playing solutions
18:10 be working with Council
18:11 committee. So we'll have we'll
18:13 have a new person. And for
18:15 this, I find that challenging
18:16 since we've been working
18:17 together for already on this
18:18 group. And how is this new
18:20 person going come in? No, the
18:22 contacts and the people also
18:26 just say what I was told at