New director at dispute resolution center

MOSES LAKE — Clint Opheikens was named executive director of the Columbia Basin Dispute Resolution Center. Opheikens takes over the job April 1.

The dispute resolution center is a non-profit organization “that has been providing alternative dispute resolutions in the Columbia Basin,” according to a press release from the organization. The organization provides mediation for people involved in civil disputes and has been in existence more than seven years.

Mediation provides opportunities for people to settle disagreements without going to court. Mediators work on disputes between employers and employees, landlords and tenants, and family law clients regarding parenting plans and distribution of property, among others.

“A mediator only manages the process and does not make a decision nor force an agreement,” the press release said. “The parties involved participate and are ultimately responsible for negotiating their own settlement.”

People who want more information about the center, or who want to use its services, can contact 509-760-0706 or www.cbdrc.org.

— Staff report