Celebrating 40 Years of Enriching Lives & Erasing Barriers -- JARC

Celebrating 40 Years of Enriching Lives & Erasing Barriers -- JARC JARC, a nonprofit organization serving people with developmental disabilities and their families, in a variety of ways, from housing to in-home respite care, to advocacy in and around Detroit, celebrated their 40^th Anniversary in 2009.  They retained North Coast Strategies to help celebrate 40 years of serving the community and the dedication of their 20^th group home, what is to be believed, the nation’s first barrier-free green home.

Results Cherrin successful worked in tandem with the Somerset Collection in organizing a 40^th Anniversary Celebration at one the nation’s most elegant malls, to create a fund celebration centered around 1969.  In addition, Cherrin successfully secured media in publications such EcoHome Magazine, the Associated Press, WDIV (NBC), the Detroit News, Detroit Free Press, Chicago Tribune, Mlive.com among others. Cherrin also led JARC’s transition into social media, creating a Facebook Fan page that obtained 500 fans in just 2 months, raising further awareness of the organization.

Saluting Our Heroes & Giving Them A Job -- The New York Times and The U.S. Department of Labor

Saluting Our Heroes & Giving Them A Job -- The New York Times and The U.S. Department of Labor Objective:The U.S. Department of Labor and The New York Times teamed to co-host the annual “Salute Our Heroes Veterans Career Fair and Job Expo” to help veterans pursue career transition into the private sector. The event traveled to Chicago, Tampa and New York City. In each of these markets, local promotion was critical to boost veterans’ attendance and exhibitor sales. Daniel Cherrin was retained to lead the event publicity in Chicago.

Strategy: To collaborate with The New York Times advertising and marketing division, the Assistant Sector of Labor and a number of veteran organizations to executive a 6-week advanced public relations program in Chicago. We identified veterans seeking jobs and arranged interviews for them with broadcast and print media to add a more personal call-to-action element to our event promotion efforts.

Results:“Salute Our Heroes” has received public official proclamations, photo opportunities in regional media, public service announcements and advanced coverage by 50 national and local news outlets, including: The Associated Press, Chicago Tribune, Paul Harvey, the Voice of America and others. “Salute Our Heroes” realized outstanding attendance by more than 5,000 veterans and more than 175 blue-chip exhibitors.

Cherrin also has successfully placed clients in local and national media, including:  BrandWeek, The Chicago Tribune, The Christian Science Monitor, The Detroit Free Press, The Detroit News, The New York Times, Paul Harvey, The Wall Street Journal, and other media.  Cherrin also appears as a regular guest and political analyst on Inquiry on CHUM Television - Channel A in London, Ottawa and Windsor, Ontario, on politics in the United States.

Creating a movement -- StartupNation

Creating a movement -- StartupNation Daniel Cherrin led a successful boutique strategic communications (Birmingham, Mich. based) company housed within a venture capital fund. While there, Cherrin built a small firm that represented a number of clients throughout the U.S. and Canada including StartupNation, a multi-media company which helps entrepreneurs start and grow their own businesses.  By securing national news articles on the company principals in publications such as The New York Times andEntrepreneur Magazine, Cherrin positioned the company founders to keynote events, such as the National Small Business Administration Conference in Washington, DC, in addition to securing a book deal with Doubleday, which we promoted on a national level, while expanding their syndicated radio show nationally.

Restoring trust in the City of Detroit

Restoring trust in the City of Detroit Daniel J. Cherrin became Detroit’s lead spokesperson and brand builder following a tumultuous period in Detroit’s history. Cherrin helped restore the integrity back to the office of Mayor and the trust back to city government.  He was appointed by Detroit’s 61^st Mayor, Kenneth V. Cockrel Jr. as the Communications Director and Press Secretary for the City of Detroit in September 2008.

As Detroit’s Chief Communications Officer, Cherrin was responsible for creating, implementing and expanding strategic communications strategies for America’s 11^th largest city.  Cherrin also prepared speeches for the Mayor, including the inaugural address; State of the City, the Mayor’s annual budget message and many others and served as the Mayor’s liaison to the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs and the President’s Director of Auto Recovery and Workers.

Cherrin coordinated Detroit’s efforts in compiling requests for the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) for the U.S. Conference of Mayor’s other federal appropriations requests.  Cherrin represented the City of Detroit at the U.S. Conference of Mayor’s winter meeting in 2009, along with the Mayor and worked with the city’s lobbyists in prioritizing requests and securing funding for the city.

Cherrin, a member of the Mayor’s Cabinet, also advised and created the strategic communications plans for a number of City departments, including: the Detroit Fire Department; Municipal Parkingand the Department of Public Health & Wellness and led the communication efforts for a number of international events on behalf of Detroit, including: The NCAA Final Four; the North American International Auto Show; the Annual Thanksgiving Day Parade; Motown’s 50^th Anniversary; Recycle Detroit; Detroit’s Spring Clean Up and Angel’s Night.

Detroit Area Regional Transit Authority

Detroit Area Regional Transit Authority For decades, the city of Detroit was one of the few remaining large U.S. cities to not have a coordinated regional transportation authority.  The Detroit Regional Chamber, the nation’s largest local chamber of commerce created the Detroit Area Regional Transit Authority and asked Daniel Cherrin to secure the funding for its operation costs to start transportation planning in Southeastern Michigan.

Results Cherrin successfully secured $850,000 in federal funding for the start-up costs for DARTA, before it was officially established. As part of this effort to bring regional transit to Detroit, Cherrin represented the Chamber in Washington to secure additional funding through the reauthorization of the Transportation Equity Act and worked in a coalition of road builders, engineers, government leaders and others in securing additional funds for the Detroit area.  Cherrin also started a Federal Political Action Committee for the Chamber to enhance its relationships in Washington.

Shredding Sensitive Military Equipment, HVF West, LLC

Shredding Sensitive Military Equipment HVF West, LLC

The United States House and Senate passed their own version of a defense authorization bill that would prevent the sale of F-14 parts once destroyed.  This was in response to a number of parts getting sold on the black market to Iran, the only country with F-14s still in service.

The Cherrin Law Group worked directly with the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and their staff to amend the language of the Defense Authorization Bill to allow for the complete destruction of F-14 parts and their tooling and dies, and permit the sale of remaining parts.We also held a few meetings in Michigan with Senators Carl Levin (D-Mich.) and John McCain (R-Ariz.), to introduce them to Fritz Enterprises first-hand.

Results

The Cherrin Law Group successfully secured language in the FY08 Defense Authorization bill (H.R. 1585, House Rpt 110-477) encouraging the Defense Department to destroy any remaining F-14s and sell the resultant scrap as appropriate, in addition to, prohibiting the Department of Defense from not only selling F-14 parts, but also “any tooling or dies used in the manufacture of such aircraft or parts.”

Bringing Order To The Border – Detroit & Canada Tunnel Corporation

Bringing Order To The Border -- Detroit & Canada Tunnel Corporation Daniel Cherrin was contracted by the DCTC, operators of the Detroit Windsor Tunnel - the busiest passenger border crossing in North America, to represent their legislative and regulatory interests before the United State Congress, Executive Branch, the State of Michigan and the City of Detroit.  Cherrin also advised the Tunnel on strategic media relations and product positioning to maximize use of the Tunnel by both commercial and discretionary travelers. As a result of Cherrin’s advocacy, he:

• Changed the content of Michigan legislation away from border crossings and onto the transportation and logistics environment in the state of Michigan as a result of active participation in legislative working group sessions.
• Successfully lobbied the Department of Homeland Security to add two NEXUS lanes at the Detroit Windsor Tunnel.
• Successfully lobbied Congress to include authorization language in the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations bill directing funds to the Northern Border.
• Successfully lobbied DHS (Office of Field Operations, Trade) to delay the implementation of the Trade Act of 2002 (P.L. 107-210, 116 Stat. 933, enacted 8/6/2002, 19 U.S.C. 2071), as it relates to advance electronic cargo information and the use of the PAPS process, a mandatory release process for truck carriers at land border ports of entry, while maintaining BRASS, a line-release system for commercial goods, until DHS can implement a variation of Free and Secure Trade (FAST) at the Detroit Windsor Tunnel.
• Facilitated a public-private partnership between the Detroit Windsor Tunnel and DHS that increased capacity at the Tunnel and other land border crossings by 25%.

A Tale of Two Cities - Las Vegas and Detroit

In Detroit, progress has arrived with the latest innovations in electronics and automotive This week, two industries collide – automotive with electronics. In Las Vegas, the latest technological innovations in electronics are being revealed at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), including the latest tablets and readers, smart phones, video gaming systems, televisions and computers. While in Detroit the latest innovations and designs in the automotive industry are being revealed at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS), including cars with start/stop technology and technology that boosts gas mileage, keeps you connected or helps avoids accidents, such as Ford SYNC.  In fact, while CES is all about electronics, the automotive industry is generating a big presence in Las Vegas.

For example, while the auto show is set to open in Detroit, General Motors (in collaboration with LG) unveiled MyLink, an in-dash system for the Chevy Sonic and Spark, which is designed to use a smartphone's apps to access cloud based content and navigation.  Mercedes-Benz introduced Drive Style, a new iPhone app that will sync with their 2013 models and appear on an in-dash display. And Roximty, an app made exclusively for Ford's Sync provides the driver with real-time discounts that are based on one's geo-location and personal preferences.

Both events are receiving international attention for the amazing innovations they reveal. However, unlike CES, the Auto Show is really Detroit’s turn to show its true colors as to what makes the Motor City great. Most of the designs and technology we see in an automobile are Made in Detroit, unlike the technology and designs that are being revealed in a tablet, smartphone, laptop or television.

Despite being known as the Motor City, Detroit did not become the automotive capital of the world just because all the car companies decided to locate here. It was because of individual entrepreneurs such as Henry Ford, Henry Leland and Ransom Olds each had an idea that led Detroit, to not only house a company, but allowed Detroit to create an industry -- An industry that also has led to innovations in health care, defense, advanced manufacturing, alternative energy and electronics.

What also makes Detroit unique is that not only do we have the talent and minds to drive innovation we have the talent and hands of the skilled laborers who can actually put it together.

The Motor City, Detroit and Detroit Rock City is a place that has led the nation in innovation. However, this city’s strengths are not only from its manufacturing muscle, it really stems from its people. From the time Chief Cadillac first landed on our shore, which became America’s Fresh Water Coast, to creating the stoves that cooked our food, the ships that ran on our seas, to railroad cars and now the automobile, it is the people of this region that drive the innovations we now use everyday.

Detroit is a tough city and Detroiters are even tougher.  You see, Panics and Depressions are nothing new to us. With each economic challenge comes economic opportunity and a chance to reinvent ourselves. In fact, with World War II, it was Detroit that ceased making cars from 1942 to 1945 and converted our car factories into plants creating tanks, jeeps and B-24 bombers, leading our city to become “The Arsenal of Democracy.”

While What happens in Vegas, Stays in Vegas, what goes on in Detroit helps drive not just the nation’s economy but the entire world economy. In his book, The Comeback, Consumer Electronics Association President Gary Shapiro (who just happens to live in Detroit) says, "Innovation moves us forward as a nation, pushing us to succeed and strive for a better tomorrow. In short, innovation is the American Dream."  Detroit is not just a place where the American Dream of owning your own home, driving not just one car but two and going to college comes true, it is where that American Dream began.

The innovations that are Made in Detroit are not just limited to the car.

• In 1953, the first machine to allow open-heart surgery, was created in Detroit, as a result of collaborative efforts between General Motors (GM), the United Auto Workers (UAW) and Wayne State University.
• Six years later, Barry Gordy saw many Detroiters “Dancin in the Street,” and founded Motown, which changed not only what music we enjoy but made significant contribution to the arts in general.

A few years ago, Audi ran an ad campaign about “progress.”  One of the ads said “Progress – it shapes, it changes. It leaves old ways behind. And brings new ways forward. It comes in many forms. The big and the small. The historical and the personal. The social and the scientific. And while we may never see it coming, we most certainly know when it has arrived.”

Progress moves things forward.  It changes our lives. As you visit the 2012 North American International Auto Show, you will see that progress in Detroit has arrived.

five tips to protect your reputation on-line

Monitor On-Line ChatterCreate Google-Alerts and Twitter-Alerts for your name, company’s name and top leadership.

Employ free other services to monitor to monitor your reputation such as: Hootsuite, Alexa, and Socialmention.

Develop Channels of Communication Such as a blog, Twitter, Tawlkin, VMS and Facebook

Establish a crisis communications response team. Know who in and out of your company can respond quickly to an issue.

Engage the community. Just as you do off line, keep those on line engaged in what you do and build support for when you need it.

4 Tips for Navigating a New Congress and New State Legislature

The robo calls have stopped and I did not receive any campaign literature today. With the  2012 election cycle now over,  we now have a flavor of how the year ahead will begin to shape up from a public policy perspective. Soon, the Democratic and Republican Caucuses will select their leaders and set their agenda for next year, before going back to work for the next several days in their "Lame Duck" session.

As Congress and State Legislators go back to work, here are some tips for preparing for a new legislative session:

1. Don't sit on the sidelines, be proactive and get aggressive. As we saw over the past 17 months, politics is a contact sport. And while our politicians can talk a good game that "We need to come together and reach across party-lines," there is no doubt, that policy-making is just as divisive as campaigning. So it is important that you get out in front of the issues that affect your business, let your members of Congress or the legislature know how and take a stand to support your industry and your company.
2. Building relationships with those with the power to influence

   Campaigns are all about education. They are our chance to learn as much as the candidates and their positions or plans as it is their chance to learn about the issues that matter to you and me. If you missed the chance to share your issues with the candidates, it is not too late to get to know them as a Senator-Elect. Send them a handwritten congratulatory note, request that they meet with you at your office or plant before they take office or schedule something shortly after they take their new position and early on in their term to make a memorable impression.

3. Strengthen ties with those who may remain in power

   It took Microsoft, Google, Facebook and Twitter a few years to realize that they need a strong presence in Washington and in key states, to anticipate issues, where they may be vulnerable and establish relationships with those with the power to influence before they need to influence them on an issue. Likewise, although a number of incumbents recently won their re-election, it is not too late to get to know them, introduce them to your company and start building a relationship with them as well.

4. Develop a specific policy agenda to advance in the early days of a new government While Congress and most state legislators are getting back to work, what ever they do will be steamrolled through as they try to fit in everything before they leave for the Thanksgiving Recess.  So if you do not have any issues in the hopper, spend this time planning and preparing for next year. Begin to create your agenda. What issues will you support next year or which issues will you bring to ones attention. Then create the road map to building support and cultivating relationships to use legislative and regulatory solutions to meet your business objectives.

Public Affairs rests at the intersection of Wall Street, Main Street & K Street. A Public Affairs Counselor can help you navigate the treacherous waters of Congress or a legislature. They not only have the relationships to anticipate risk but have the tools to help manage reputation risks given the changing policy and political landscape.

Now more than ever, the success of a company not only rests in part on the world economy, but also through government oversight and government regulation, special interests, and media scrutiny.

U.S. companies and CEOs typically search out a government relations firm or a public relations agency for support and guidance when in fact they should be searching for a public affairs firm that can create and implement multi-channel strategies across each discipline of law, policy, media relations and politics.

For example, lobbyists seek policy and political solutions, Lawyers seek legal and regulatory remedies and public relations counselors seek to debate the issue in the media or now on Twitter. Public Affairs is a discipline that offers a wider net of tools to engage key stakeholders. And it offers a more pro-active approach to engage key influencers in a broader discussion of the issues.

A public affairs strategy involves identifying, assessing, prioritizing and responding to both opportunities and risks that emerge from Congress or the Legislature or even through public discourse.

CEOs may choose to respond to such opportunities and/or risks by seeking to influence that policy through one-on-one meetings; through coalition building or in the media. At least they are choosing to response.

Elections Come and Election Go & Yet Our Issues Remain. So now that we know who we need to influence it is time that we empower ourselves with tools to engage in positive changes that affect our companies bottom line.

CRISIS MANAGEMENT TIPS

Don’t say anything you couldn’t or wouldn’t say in court, and  just stick to the facts.

For example:

• The claim, offense or defense involved
• Information contained in a public record
• That an investigation of a matter is in progress
• Undisputable facts

A litigation communications plan blends both legal expertise and media savvy, by helping to frame messages during the litigation to help preserve, protect and enhance the reputation of the parties. It also helps to monitor what others are saying about the case and the company and works to control the message, address concerns and build relationships to help the company emerge from the litigation with its reputation intact. An effective litigations communications strategy, works to enhance legal efforts by providing clarity on complex legal issues, before and after litigation. The goal of litigation communications is to guarantee that the client's public image is completely aligned with the legal team's efforts and strategy, while ensuring the company's message is understood outside the courtroom.

5 tips in creating a social media policy

Protect intellectual property.Never place proprietary information on-line

Respect copyrights and fair use. Always give people proper credit for their work and make you have permission to publish something.

Be responsible for what you write. Avoid language that could be considered defamatory, harassing or indecent. Before you hit send, ask, "Do I want my mom to see this?"

Bring value to the discussion. To build a following you need to bring something to the table so make your contribution significant and meaningful.

Be open, honest and authentic. Include your name, if appropriate the company and make statements in complete disclosure of any potential bias.

Does it pass the skim test? 7 Tips to Stay Relevant On Line

Who has time to read everything we receive? From email, in the mail and on-line. In fact, who can read it at all with most of us now getting our news on our smart phones or tablets. So now if writing 140 characters were not enough we need to write as if the reader is only half reading what we are posting. A 2007 study from the Poynter Institute, found that the average visitor to a website only reads 20 percent of the words on a page. A 2007 study from the Poynter Institute found that the average visitor to a website only reads 20 percet of the words on a page. I know I just repeated that sentence but I wanted to include it again just in case you read only a few of the words. Visitors also spend on average 10 seconds or less on a website. So with those statistics in mind, how do you pass the skim test?

• Focus on the headlines - make sure you include the gist of your article in the headline.

• Link - Keep your landing pages clean and just link to other places on your site. This includes emails too.

• Use bullets - Break up paragraphs with bullets

• Use pictures - Pictures today tell more than words. We can look at a picture and if it piques our interest, we will learn more

• Use video - Instead of reading something, we like to listen to it.

• Tell the reader what you want them to take away but identifying it up front in bullets.

• Create a .pdf that they can just link to or print to read later

When your reputation is attacked

When your reputation is attacked on line, such as a rating on a website, on social media or elsewhere, by a known person or by an anonymous source, here are something action steps you should take to protect your reputation:

• Follow the electronic trail to uncover posters identify.  You can try to do this on our your own or there are computer forensic experts that can assist in the investigation
• Monitor – There are a number of free resources to use.

Regardless, you should have a plan in place to be able to respond to any attack and be prepared to respond or mobilize immediately.

I don't want you to only LIKE ME anymore

I want you to more than like me….Runners and cyclists share a common bond for the love and enjoyment of their sport. And although the runner or cyclist approach each other may be strangers, they will most likely exchange a nod, a wave or a greeting - hi. In an age when we want others to like us, friend us or follow us, we are still missing that personal connection.  We may ask you to like us, but we are not giving you reasons why? From now on, I want you to more than "like me" or just "follow me". I want us to become engaged in conversation and debate. I want to learn from you and you from me. And I want something to happen. Therefore, through social media, I will ask questions and advice, offer samples or incentives, seek direction or reassurance. I also will try to meet with you in person, one-on-one and look for every opportunity to re-establish ways to move beyond "like".

Elections are about change, Public Affairs helps manage the risk during that change

Elections are about change. In fact, Change is what President Barack Obama campaigned on four-years ago and won. And change is at the core an effective public affairs strategy. Public affairs professionals help companies and individuals navigate the changing landscape in capitals across the world, and help them better understand the politics, the personalities and the policies that affect their industry, company, employees and other key stakeholders. For example, what will a new administration mean for your business?  Will the leadership in a new Congress provide a Third Way, or does that new committee chair have priorities counter to my industry?

Public affairs professionals help CEOs understand the dynamics of governments in transition and help them build relationships with key decisions-makers who will have an impact on their business goals.

Public affairs professionals, also help companies manage risk -- Political risk and risks to their reputation in a constantly changing legislative and regulatory environment. You just never know who will get elected and who will sit in leadership positions. So you should know who these folks are and proactively work to develop meaningful relationships with them, should you ever need their help in the future.

The issues Detroit faces as a city must be addressed with systemic solutions

In resolving problems plauging cities such as Baltimore, St. Louis, Detroit, Chicago or Cleveland, city, business, religious and community leaders must look at the 'big picture." Rather then look at issues such as crime, unemployment or vacant property individually, we need to look at the whole package if we are to truly tackle these issues and move forward.  

PR Lessons from Obama, Romney and other political candidates

With the political conventions upon us, to nominate candidates for President of the United States, and the slew of campaign commercials set to convince voters who to support, we should remember these lessons in marketing, that the candidates teach us, each year:

• Stay on message.
• Don’t be afraid to speak your mind, but remember who you are talking to and who is listening.
• Empower your stakeholders to do something each time you engage them.
• Guard your reputation, in the end, it is all you have.
• Build a brand in way that resonates across generations and parties. Voters are like shoppers, many vote/buy on impulse once they are in the voting booth.
• Create trust before you need it.
• Budget accordingly – issues, media relations, messaging and research staffing can be expensive in politics and in the business arena.
• To build trust – Convey credibility through a vision, mission and values, early and often.

Your reputation under attack – Risk management and other ways to dispel threats and limit exposure

Risk is inherent in anything we do. Send an email to the wrong person, hire the wrong contractor or give an employee too much independence. Standard risk management tools such as insurance or diversification are no help when the damage is already done publicly. Most risks can be managed, but businesses often overlook how to manage risk in the public’s eye. What precautions can business take to make sure they can manage any crisis with their reputation intact?

The Endleman Trust Barometer found that when a company is trusted, 51% of the stakeholders will believe positive information about the company after hearing it just once or twice.

In today’s world, successful companies will include those that understand how to navigate in uncertain times. Disasters, politics and economic uncertainty will continue to dominate the agenda

According to a recent article in The Strategist, a PRSA publication, companies will not hesitate to protect their core business assets and physical infrastructure, and now they are investing more in protecting their reputation than before.

The article points to a recent survey that highlights protecting a company’s reputation. It says that to protect your critical infrastructure you need to establish your core before a crisis arises and respond promptly.

The survey was conducted by Weber Shandwick and they interviewed 19 crisis-tested lawyers, corporate and general counsel and outside lawyers, as well as CMOs in industries ranging from financial services to consumer products.

The common thread among these stakeholders was the value in protecting ones reputation, and preparation is the key.

In the past, we were told to plan for the unknown.  But if you can plan for something than it is avoidable. So the companies that are most prepared to deal with any crisis are the companies that have created a culture that can help pinpoint a problem before it becomes a problem. This includes: building relations, instituting a process by which problems surface in a timely manner for any necessary response.

For example,

• A company can give employees incentives to bring potential problems to senior managers as they arise;
• Companies need systems in place before a crisis occurs to learn about the crisis and respond accordingly and directly.

Establish relationships between lawyers and communications counsel early in the process.  You do not want to have to make new friends in a crises – you should know all the players and know who does what.

So work hard to create a collaborative culture where your team knows each other, how they work and what they will need should a crisis happen.  It will also help ease the tension between lawyer and communicator, when cooperation and community will be the key.

Know everyone’s role and responsibility, Communicators want transparency and to have the resources to respond quickly. Lawyers want to protect their clients legally and not expose them further to risk. Communicators want to be proactive, lawyers want to weigh all the facts and do not want to talk to the media.  Lawyers keep us out of trouble and communicators push the envelope to make sure their client’s reputation is protected.

Through closer working relationships, the survey found, tension can be minimized to allow greater focus on the actual work.

Who can help Detroit and Michigan Find Resolution Throughout all the Chaos?

I am extremely frustrated by how partisan politics has become. In talking with lobbyists and lawmakers about the good old days of lawmaking, in both Washington and Lansing, it used to be that during the day, legislators would fight like crazy for their issues, they would debate and argue for what they thought was right and in the best interest of the people. And after a hard days work, they would shake hands and grab a drink or have dinner. In fact that model still works in various Parliaments, including the EU in Brussels. Not today and not in America. In the Michigan Legislature you are lucky if they know each others name. In Washington, Members of Congress take their cues from their party leadership and everyone points fingers at the other person to say why they are not making progress. And that is in a non-election year.

So in Washington, you have a highway transportation bill that expired a few years ago that still has not been authorized -- only extended for two years. The education bill also expired and has not been authorized, leaving a generation behind instead of "no child," punctuated by an election year that brings little hope of progress to a bitter end, at least and until sometime next year.

In Lansing and Detroit we are still discussing bridges and transit. In fact, in 1976, President Gerald Ford offered funds to build a rail transit system in southeast Michigan. Instead, we just got the People Mover and today, we are still talking about the need for regional transportation.

Today, there is a lack of progress in moving forward on the difficult decisions that affect our nation and impact our state. Some would call it an impasse while others just chalk it up to politics. However, these are issues that can be resolved and resolved in a way that preserves the relationships, maintains the political differences and helps move the agenda forward collectively.

The use of ADR processes by the courts and federal government has been widely celebrated as a more efficient and cost effective method of conflict resolution. Mediation is a voluntary, confidential process in which a trained, impartial mediator helps people examine their mutual problems, identify and consider options and carefully consider possible resolutions. A mediator has the experience to bring disputing parties together and help them draw out a successful resolution while preventing an impasse during the negotiations, or otherwise prevent the discussions from breaking down. Unlike a judge or arbitrator, a mediator does not make the decisions nor do they offer solutions. They help separate the politics from the process, help the parties find a common ground, build trust and identify potential solutions to agree on.

Public policy dispute resolution focuses on the resolution of issues affecting the public, such as: Transportation; land use, special education, election districts and healthcare. With public policy disputes, the issues tend to be a bit more polarizing, emotional and there are often a number of stakeholders from the community, including non-profits and business groups, and governments at a local, state and federal level.

Whether it is a public policy dispute or a dispute between neighbors, the goal of public any dispute resolution is to save money, preserve relationships and take control over the decisions. When it involves a public policy dispute, it is helpful and most effective if it creates the opportunity for all voices to be heard. It is a process being used in the planning process of multiple projects, including economic development projects in Austin, Texas and Salt Lake City Utah.

In any mediation, the first step in the mediation process is to get both parties to agree to use a mediator. That is actually the first agreement both parties make together and we are on the way to developing trust and building a relationship.

While many states have dispute resolution clauses in key legislation or dispute resolution centers at universities, the State of Michigan does not. The ADR Section to the State Bar of Michigan, continues to talk with universities about creating a "Center for Public Policy Dispute Resolution Services," and continues to talk with legislators. However, since no university has yet to step forward in creating such a center, in part due to funding, The ADR Section is trying to show by example, the benefits of ADR.

The National Policy Consensus Center has found that legislators are becoming problem solvers, facilitators and conveners of issues vital to their state. Yet in Detroit and throughout the State of Michigan, we still cannot accomplish enough to move the state forward. It is time to rebuild and repair relationships in the City of Detroit and throughout the State of Michigan. It is time the people we elected to lead our government and help move it forward. It is time that they ask for someone, or a team of neutrals to step in and help find resolution throughout all the chaos.

Policymakers can avoid making difficult decisions on controversial issues by creating a process by which public policy disputes can be resolved. Through a facilitated consensual process, issues such as consent agreements, transit, new infrastructure projects, transit and councils-by-district can be avoided and we can all move on to other issues to help our city, state and nation move forward.

If we just talked earlier and learned about the real issues underlying the bigger ones, than perhaps today, we would be talking more about basketball instead about a bridge, debt ceilings, transit or a consent agreement. It is time we brought in neutrals to help resolve the bigger issues plaguing our nation.

About Daniel Cherrin

Daniel is a public relations + affairs executive who just happens to be a lawyer. Cherrin also is a certified, SCAO-trained mediator. He served as the Communications Director for the City of Detroit and Press Secretary to former Detroit Mayor, Kenneth V. Cockrel. He also has served as spokesperson for an 1800 MW off shore wind farm in Southwestern Ontario and also for Mackinac Island. He also led efforts to support a deep injection well in Romulus, Mich. He currently serves as a spokesperson for The Ann Arbor Art Fair and advises a number of clients through a variety of crises, B2B marketing, brand development and lobbying. This includes the Detroit Windsor Tunnel, Detroit Wayne County Port Authority, City of Windsor, ONT, Grand River and Mentor Ohio (on a proposed Lake Erie ferry project between Ohio and Ontario), Cassidy Turley, Vistage International and Guardian Industries among others. For more information, see http://fraserlawfirm.com/ourlawyers/lawyers/profile/daniel_j_cherrin.