East County Resolutions to become independent nonprofit, seeks Troutdale funding and volunteers

East County Resolutions, a community mediation program that has served East Multnomah County for decades, told the Troutdale City Council it will become an independent nonprofit on July 1 and asked the city for continued financial support and volunteer recruitment.

The group’s mediation specialist, Tara Cleland, said the program has served about 2,500 people across the area and that the city of Gresham is the largest current municipal contractor. Cleland said the program’s last intergovernmental agreement with the City of Gresham left a small general-fund contribution and that the new nonprofit is “all almost all set to transition for July 1.”

Cleland described the services the program provides and why the group says it is cost-effective: mediation for neighbors, landlord–tenant disputes and other community conflicts; free three-day conflict-management training for neighborhood leaders and public employees; and a volunteer training and mentorship pipeline. “When we take a phone call, we could spend 45 minutes to an hour just listening to somebody,” she said.

Councilors asked about the program’s revenue and volunteer recruitment. Cleland said the last intergovernmental agreement with Troutdale was for $3,675 and that additional revenue comes from state funds routed through the University of Oregon, fee-for-service work and contracts with nearby cities. She asked residents interested in serving on the nonprofit’s board or volunteering as mediators to reach out; the program said it expects to recruit additional volunteers by September or October following a 52-hour basic training and yearlong mentorship.

Council members thanked Cleland for the presentation and closed the item after no public questions. No formal council action was taken at the meeting; the presentation was informational and intended to inform future funding discussions.

Why this matters: East County Resolutions provides low-cost mediation services that city staff and councilors described as complementary to municipal services. If Troutdale continues funding, the nonprofit says it will keep offering free mediation and trainings to city residents.

What’s next: The nonprofit transition is scheduled for July 1. Cleland requested assistance recruiting Troutdale residents for advisory or board roles and indicated the program will continue to accept referrals through its existing phone and email during the initial transition.