Politicians are well known for power plays and turf battles. Often these personal goals are placed above the good of the people they were elected to serve. During the current economic down turn, it  is more critical than ever for governments to cut waste and duplication of services.

In Georgia there is a law that requires cities and counties to sign an  agreement on how services will be delivered to constituents. The goal is to prevent cities and counties from duplicating services and thereby lower taxes for everyone. If the cities and counties cannot agree, the law requires the cities and counties to engage in mediation before a lawsuit can be filed.   Failure to agree can affect state funding.

As Fulton County Attorney from 1999- 2007, I led Fulton County’s efforts in these mediations and found them to be extremely beneficial.    This is just one more example of the powerful role that mediation can play in our lives.

Shown below is Good Things are Happening,  my memory quilt from that phase of my life. The title comes from a slogan Commissioner Bill Edwards, my personal commissioner, used when rallying support for South Fulton County.

Good Things Are Happening, 47 x 52 inches, by O.V. Brantley, 2007.