ACCORD to reduce hours due to state budget cuts

Beginning Friday April 29, 2011 ACCORD’s Binghamton office, at 30 West State Street, will only offer services four days per week. The office will be closed on Fridays after that date. The Tioga County office will remain open 5 days per week but the office will now be open from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM.

ACCORD, A Center for Dispute Resolution, Inc., operating since 1982, sustained budget cuts of over $222,000 from the Unified Court System. This included reductions in funding of $213,282 for ACCORD’s mediation and other dispute resolution services and $ 8,899 for the Voices for Children / CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) program. These cuts have resulted in 6 staff members being laid off and the remaining staff having a reduction in hours or salaries. ACCORD’s Petition Intake services to Family Courts in Broome and Tioga Counties have already been closed.

Executive Director Richard Squire says, “The agency will continue to provide the full array of mediation services but these reductions will impact how quickly cases can be handled and in the hours of staff availability.” ACCORD’s services include mediations to handle neighbor/ community disputes, small claims, family issues such as custody/visitation and support, and the Assisted Senior Communication (elder mediation) program. ACCORD’s Voices for Children / CASA program will also reduce office hours but will maintain support of the CASA volunteers providing support to abused and neglected children.

An Initial Mediation Training scheduled for May 13, 14, 15, 17, and 18, will still be held in spite of the cuts. The agency is actively recruiting individuals interested in becoming volunteer mediators. Squire says, “Over 80% of the agency’s mediation services are provided by volunteers, in spite of the cuts we must continue to recruit and train these critical volunteers. By using volunteers we are able to serve thousands of individuals and businesses each year.”

In a recent email to the agency’s volunteers David Wasser, Board President said that in addition to months of strategic planning, “The Board adopted a Resource Development Plan in January of this year. This was done after more than six months of thoughtful work. Time has not allowed us to reap the benefits or direction of our planning and labors. But, we will continue to work in that direction.”

In addition to funding from Unified Court System and Court Improvement Programs ACCORD receives funding from local contributions, the United Ways of Broome and Tioga counties, and local foundations.