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To the Editor: 

I would like to correct a statement in the Sept. 14 Daily Planet. In an otherwise informative article, “Lights out while neighbors squabble over signal patterns,” says the City Council mandated a public process to help resolve the issues and that, “In a pair of public meetings in August, run by the city's dispute resolution service, neighbors aired a series of competing concerns.” The meetings were not run by the city's dispute resolution service. Actually, Berkeley Dispute Resolution Service, a nonprofit organization doing conflict resolution and facilitation in Albany, Berkeley and Emeryville over the last 15 years, conducted the two meetings and will conduct the meeting to be held on Sept. 25 at Willard Middle School. Our actual and perceived independence is a crucial aspect of the work we do. Our job is to facilitate a civil discussion of the issues among all stakeholders, including the City, and not to any way take sides in the discussion. 

We have recently moved to new offices at 1968 University Ave., near San Pablo Avenue. Stop by and say hello or call us at 548-2377 if you find yourself in a conflict, large or small, that you would like help resolving. 

Brad Smith,  

president of the board 

Berkeley Dispute  

Resolution Service