The historic Foundry and Office building on East H Street was discussed at another City Council meeting. This time, the council voted to give 90 days to meet with a mediator.
(File photo)

It takes two to a make a thing go right, and the Benicia City Council tried to make the mediation between AMPORTS and the city go right or go more smoothly at its meeting Tuesday.
On April 25, City Council considered a request for a rehearing of the denial of the request for emergency demolition permits for the Foundry and Office buildings at 678 East H St. A subcommittee to attempt to mediate the issues was established by the council during the continued 60-day hearing. It was recommended that the City Council consider two options; direct the subcommittee to continue the mediation process and extend the time for the rehearing for another 60 days, or direct staff to reschedule the request for a rehearing and to discontinue the mediation group.
At the end of the meeting, the council discussed the issue. After a refresher on the dilemma, the council opened up the discussion to public comments. Dana Dean, an attorney for AMPORTS, came up to give her perspective on the mediation process and offer a proposal on how to better tackle the issues that have arisen from it.
“I think that I can say that it was very costly to both of us” she said. “We’ve made progress, but we could significantly make more progress if we narrow the group that’s engaged. Perhaps we sit down without the mediator in a regular settlement conference. My proposal was to have the councilmembers; Councilmember (Tom) Campbell and Vice Mayor (Steve) Young, Jim Triplett, myself all sit together and hammer out some more details and potentially use the third party mediator again if we need to.”
Dean also said both sides got a lot of ground covered, it’s just that now both sides are getting down to the nuts and bolts of the issue. According to Dean, both sides can resolve it by July 11.
Councilmember Alan Schwartzman asked City Attorney Heather McLaughlin and Vice Mayor Young if Dean was correct in say things are down to the nuts and bolts of the issue. McLaughlin said that more progress could be made, while Young agreed with both Dean and the city attorney.
“We’re not there yet, he said. “I’m not sure how far we are, but I thought we made progress and would hate to see either side just walk away and end up in court.”
Mayor Elizabeth Patterson recommended that nothing would changes from the original terms set in both sides during the mediation. She said it it would be wiser if things were done with a smaller group, but with everybody being engaged and no one having a decision being made for them. Young agreed with Patterson about the issue involved with not consulting all parties involved with mediation, but a mediator would not be necessary at this part.
Patterson volunteered to replace Campbell in the negotiations, while the City Council decided the parties would not meet on July 11 and be given 90 days to meet with the mediator. This motion passed 4-0 with Campbell absent.
Due to holidays and scheduling, the City Council will not meet again until July 18.

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