The Polk County Attorney's Office offers Polk County residents a free mediation service to help resolve neighborhood issues/disputes.  Mediation is a voluntary, informal and confidential meeting which allows parties involved in a dispute a chance to discuss the issues and, with the help of a professional mediator, reach a resolution or agreement.  Mediation can be used in almost any situation, including:

• repair, return or replacement of property
• payment of medical expenses
• agreement to modify or cease specific behavior
• noise/nuisance issues between neighbors

Voluntary participation in a session allows parties to discuss the issues in a safe setting and to reach an agreement that works for them.  Trained professional mediators procured by the Polk County Attorney's Office:

• will not take sides
• will not make decision or tell any participant what he/she needs to do to resolve the problem; the mediator is not a judge
• will assist the parties in understanding all the issues and finding common ground
• will ensure that ground rules are followed by the parties and maintain a respectful atmosphere during the session

For more information on this service call (515) 286-3057 or view more information online.