The Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) committee at Mid-Shore Board of REALTORS (MSBR) will hold an Understanding Through Diversity Summit on Saturday, September 30, 2023, at the Waterfowl Building on Harrison Street in Easton from 10am to 2pm and the public is invited to attend. There is no charge to attend or to be an exhibitor.

MSBR recognizes that Diversity, Equity & Inclusion is fundamental to today’s society. We believe that by having a better understanding of each other we can be more accepting of our diversity, noted MSBR President, Megan Rosendale. 

Uncover your biases and identify strategies to interrupt them when you hear keynote speaker Natalie Davis. 

Avoid potential missteps and engage in conversations with our three local panelists. 

There will also be time to visit the exhibitor tables of local non-profit organizations before and after the presentations. Craft Bakery and Café, out of Denton, will offer food and drinks for sale. At the conclusion of the Summit there will be a guided walking tour by Professor Dale Green of Morgan State University of Easton’s Historic Hill Community 

Shandell Green and Annie Raymond, Co-Chairs of the DEI committee encourage the community to be a part of this exciting day. “The committee spent a lot of time looking for the right speakers and topics that will be interesting and educational to the community. By bringing in national and local presenters, we hope to engage with each other and gain better appreciation and understanding.” 

MSBR President, Megan Rosendale noted that MSBR received a grant from National Association of REALTORS that allows the REALTORS to hold this Summit and not charge attendees or exhibitors to participate. 

Green and Raymond commented about the keynote speaker, saying,  we look forward to hearing Natalie Davis discuss implicit biases. She is a National Speaker and a Business Coach and is committed to inspiring others to become intentional thought leaders. Davis has a passion for leadership and service and has worked with Associations and firms to facilitate strategic and business planning. 

 

At 1pm summit attendees will hear from three local panelists: 

Derick Daly, the President, and a Trustee and a co-founder of Polaris Village Ministries, Inc. (PVM). Prior to that Daley served as the Executive Director of Building African American Minds (BAAM), Inc. Mr. Daly and his wife started a scholarship fund whose purpose is to provide funding for school supplies to assist African American male students who are furthering their education by attending a four-year college. They also started Building African American Minds, Inc. (BAAM) a non-profit organization that serves all children, but primarily African Americans in the Easton area. 

Victoria Gomez, panelist,  was born and raised in Chihuahua, Mexico and graduated from Tecnologico Espiritu Santo, Guayaquil, Ecuador with a Bank and Finance bachelor’s degree and has worked in finance and the banking industries. She also worked as a member of Talbot County Public School Education Foundation Board and is currently a board member of the Department of Social Service, East-End Neighborhood Association (EENA) and serves as a mentor with Talbot Mentors. For the past six years, she has worked with the Chesapeake Multicultural Resource Center. Victoria took the Professional Interpreter Training course and is bilingual in Spanish and English.

Tina Jones, panelist, is the cofounder, inaugural chair, and current Secretary/Treasurer for Delmarva Pride Center, an LGBTQ+ led volunteer organization dedicated to educating the public and improving the lives of queer residents of Kent, Queen Anne’s, Caroline, Talbot, and Dorchester Counties. In addition, she is the founder and facilitator of Delmarva Gender Expression Movement, the first group on the Eastern Shore of Maryland dedicated to supporting those who identify as transgender, nonbinary, agender or gender queer. Tina also serves on the boards of the Maryland LGBT Chamber of Commerce and FreeState Justice, Maryland’s LGBTQIA+ advocacy organization.

 

Creating a diverse, equal, and inclusive environment is important, it can improve the talent you recruit, and diversity provides innovation, noted Rosendale. 

If you would like more information or if your organization would like to participate please connect with Mid-Shore Board of REALTORS at [email protected] or 410-822-8767 or visit the website at www.midshoreboardofrealtors.com. 

 

Easton Airport Day is thrilled to unveil Qlarant as the Warbird Sponsor for this year’s highly anticipated event. The 14th annual Easton Airport Day, slated for October 14, promises an exhilarating experience for attendees. The Warbirds of Easton Airport can be seen and admired on the Qlarant Warbird Ramp prior to the awe-inspiring Formation Flyover, the centerpiece of the festivities.

The concept of Easton Airport Day began several years ago when the Red Star Pilots Association chose Easton Airport as their preferred location for annual formation training. The stunning display of their Warbird aircraft soaring through the skies over Easton garnered much attention and even led some to believe an airshow was underway. Recognizing the opportunity to showcase aviation to the local community, the idea to host Easton Airport Day was born.

The Formation Flyover has since become the pinnacle of the event, drawing dozens of participating aircraft and establishing itself as one of the largest formation flyovers in the United States. This breathtaking spectacle adds an air of grandeur to Easton Airport Day, captivating spectators and fostering a profound appreciation for aviation and the history of these marvelous machines.

“We are excited to welcome Qlarant as our Warbird Sponsor this year,” said Easton Airport Manager Micah Risher. “Their support helps us remain an attractive location for pilots to bring their historic aircraft and tell the story of aviation throughout the generations.”

Qlarant, a prominent organization with a strong presence in the community, is proud to embrace the role of Warbird Sponsor. Their partnership with Easton Airport Day exemplifies their dedication to fostering community engagement and supporting meaningful events that leave a lasting impact.

“Qlarant is honored to be a part of Easton Airport Day as the Warbird Sponsor,” said Pat Boos, Director of Marketing for Qlarant. “This event celebrates the wonders of aviation and brings joy to the hearts of countless individuals.”

Easton Airport Day, sponsored by Scott and Tracy Wagner, invites attendees of all ages to experience the magic of aviation firsthand. The event is free to attend, providing an opportunity for families and aviation enthusiasts alike to explore and revel in the wonder of flight.

For more information about Easton Airport Day, including a detailed schedule of activities and event updates, please visit www.eastonairportday.com. Stay connected and receive real-time updates by following Easton Airport on Facebook @EastonAirport.

The roundtables, listening sessions and appearances at farm shows have largely wrapped up and lawmakers tasked with reauthorizing the nation’s agriculture and nutrition programs are comparing notes and beginning to draft the massive, multi-year farm bill.

The 2018 version expires Sept. 30, just as many urgent priorities compete for floor time in Congress — namely the government funding bills that, if not passed by Oct. 1, could mean a partial government shutdown.

The expansive agricultural and food policy bill covers farmer safety net programs, conservation and sustainability incentives, international trade, rural area development, and food and nutrition programs for low-income earners — the last of which by far accounts for the largest portion of the bill. The legislation is one of Congress’ omnibus packages, meaning it’s made up of numerous provisions from many lawmakers.

Staff working on the respective House and Senate agriculture committees expect a roughly $1.5 trillion price tag over the next decade, according to the Congressional Budget Office baseline scores for SNAP and mandatory farm programs.

Both parties have rallied around ways to make the government safety net more reliable for farmers facing rising production costs. Differences surface when discussing the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, commonly known as SNAP, or food stamps, and how to spend conservation and climate dollars earmarked in last year’s Inflation Reduction Act.

While the outlook for when the farm bill reaches the floor is “murky,” committee leadership “has committed to bipartisanship,” said a Republican House aide knowledgeable about Rep. Glenn “GT” Thompson’s negotiations. The aide did not want to be identified because of ongoing discussions.

Thompson, of Pennsylvania, chairs the House Committee on Agriculture.

Some worry that despite Thompson’s goal for bipartisanship, the omnibus to continue America’s farm and food programs will become another battleground for far-right lawmakers.

If Congress does not pass a final farm bill by the end of September, lawmakers will likely will enact program extensions as they have in the past. Aides say the situation becomes more worrisome if lawmakers cannot finish the omnibus by the end of the calendar year.

“Once it leaves his committee it’s at the mercy of the Rules Committee and right now the Freedom Caucus is — not just with the farm bill, and not just with the agriculture appropriations — but pretty much every bill going through, (they have) some of their unrealistic demands on required amendments,” said Chandler Goule, CEO of the National Association of Wheat Growers.

“I’m worried it’s going to not only stall the farm bill, but it’s also going to make the farm bill a partisan bill, which is not good for anyone in agriculture,” he said.

Food assistance

Nutrition initiatives were added to the farm bill in the early 1970s, expanding the scope of the legislation that previously focused on support for certain commodities, including corn, wheat, soybeans, cotton, dairy and others.

Nutrition programs are projected to comprise 84% of the 2023 farm bill, compared to the 76% in the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, the official name of the most recent omnibus. The increase reflects pandemic-related spending and an adjustment to benefits meant to better reflect grocery store prices.

While the farm bill authorizes policy, a separate agriculture appropriations process greenlights the dollars for farmers and SNAP, as well as the Food and Drug Administration. Talks to advance the funding bill collapsed before lawmakers left for August recess as far-right conservatives pushed to ban the availability of mifepristone, the abortion pill.

Cutting SNAP funding in the agriculture appropriations bill is also a target for the GOP-led House.

Among the Republican proposals are “right-sizing” funding to reflect pre-pandemic levels and adjusting the administration’s Thrifty Food Plan, which increased benefits to match healthy food prices.

Another proposal Democrats are criticizing is limiting state waivers that allow certain adults to be exempt from work requirements because of labor market conditions. Currently 13 states, the District of Columbia and two territories have statewide waivers.

They include: Alaska, Arizona, California, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Guam, Hawaii, Illinois, Louisiana, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Pennsylvania and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Another 16 states have partial waivers in certain areas.

The GOP already moved the needle this year on SNAP work requirements when House Leader Kevin McCarthy of California won a provision in the debt ceiling deal to increase the work rules age ceiling from 49 to 55 for adults without dependents.

As for the farm bill debate, “Mr. Thompson has been clear: he is not interested in further debate of the age of someone participating in a work requirement,” the GOP aide said.

Democrats are warning McCarthy and GOP leadership that inserting the SNAP debate into the farm bill process could hamper progress.

“The continued threat of making additional changes to SNAP eligibility and benefits is not helpful and even undermines Chairman Thompson as he works with his Democratic and Republican membership to bring a bipartisan farm bill out of the Agriculture Committee,” wrote the committee’s ranking member, David Scott of Georgia, in an Aug. 7 letter co-signed by two dozen Democratic colleagues.

Aside from work rules, the GOP would like to see some policy changes in the farm bill’s SNAP title, including more resources directed toward fraud prevention and “health and wellbeing,” or restricting what people can buy with SNAP benefits, according to the Agriculture Committee.

The United Council on Welfare Fraud, a group representing state and county investigators, met with GOP lawmakers multiple times this year ahead of farm bill negotiations to push for more robust prevention of underground SNAP benefits trading and complex retail skimming schemes that strip benefits from recipients’ EBT cards.

“You have legitimate people who go to buy milk and groceries for their children and they have a zero balance on their card,” said Dawn Royal, the group’s director and past president.

“In recognizing that there are legitimate victims, the government decided to reissue benefits on those cards to the victims up to twice and that’s great, right. So now mom can buy milk for her children and that’s great, but they (the government) did nothing to prevent it,” she said.

The USDA spends less than 1% on fraud prevention and prosecution, according to the group.

Farmer safety net

Another major area of concern for the farm bill among GOP leaders is updating guidelines that trigger risk protection programs for several commodities, including wheat, corn, soybeans, rice, peanuts, sugar and dairy.

Farmers and lawmakers maintain the prices — referred to as reference prices — are outdated. Despite market fluctuations, severe drought or natural disasters, the protections aren’t set in motion until crop prices drop to a certain level.

“Everything we’re doing on the farm now costs a whole lot more money when it comes to planting the crop. But the reference prices for when some type of disaster program would kick in haven’t changed. So it’s much more costly to put a crop in and to protect that crop,” said Josh Gackle, a North Dakota soybean farmer and vice president of the American Soybean Association.

Prices have to dip to $8.50 per bushel before government coverage begins. Gackle says in North Dakota it costs him $12 per bushel to produce the crop.

“The data that was used (for reference prices) goes back to 2012. The world is very different now than it was in 2012,” Sen. John Boozman told Agri-Pulse in an April interview.

“So I can tell you, there is not going to be a farm bill that I vote for that doesn’t take care of the safety nets,” continued the Arkansas Republican who is the ranking member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry.

Boozman is also eyeing “producer focused” policies in the trade title of the bill, said Patrick Creamer, the committee’s communications director for the minority.

The senator wants to focus on “things that really impact farmers, whether it’s market access overseas or research to help increase their crop yields,” Creamer said.

Democrats agree that farmer safety net programs are falling short. However, they want expanded protection for crops — like apples, for example — that are outside of the major commodities.

“Both program crops and specialty crops have to have some kind of safety net and access to whether it’s (for) conservation research, anything that will make those farmers profitable and able to stay in business,” said a Democratic House aide who did not want to be identified because of ongoing negotiations.

The Senate returns Sept. 5. The House returns Sept. 12.

By Ashley Murray

The Talbot County Department of Administrative Services has launched a renovated “Employment Opportunities” page on the County Website. The new page intends to be more accessible, allowing job seekers to search by department or job type to narrow down their search. Once potential candidates have found a job that interests them, they will be able to open to a page directly for that job listing.

“We have many job opportunities that span across multiple departments in the county,” said Director of Administrative Services, Donna Pardieu. “Our department wants to make sure that candidates are finding the positions that we have available. We are hopeful this new filtering will allow potential candidates to find what they are looking for, and the new individual job pages will easily allow peers to share jobs with them.”

The County currently has over 20 open positions, ranging from full-time to part-time spanning nine (9) different departments. Some of the jobs available are seasonal part-time positions, new positions in public safety and technology services, and leadership positions as a result of retirements.

“We are particularly excited about two new positions in Technology Services,” noted Colleen Young, Jobs Coordinator. Formally known as “Information Technology”, the Technology Services Department serves all departments by providing cyber security, hardware and software support, website and server maintenance, and virtual and recorded meeting support.

“The two new positions further recognize the importance of technology specialists to keep our county running smoothly, and safe from cyber threats.”

Along with the renovated web page, the team plans to run a social media awareness campaign on the recently launched Talbot County Government Facebook and LinkedIn accounts. They are hopeful that the new page will lead to an increased number of quality candidates for County positions.

Talbot County strives to create an environment which promotes operational excellence, equity, integrity, and professional achievement. For more information on job opportunities, visit https://talbotcountymd.gov/job_openings

Nearly 200 oyster growers and volunteers recently gathered under a big tent for the Chesapeake Bay Oyster Reef Recovery Initiative’s 12^th Annual Oyster Social. The event took place at the offices of founding sponsor Eglseder Wealth Management Group, Inc. to show appreciation for the time, effort, and hard work the oyster growers and volunteers put in to keep the Initiative’s oyster program thriving.

“Every year we thank our growers and volunteers by hosting an evening full of great food, drinks, and fun to show them our appreciation for the time, effort, and hard work they put in to keep our oyster program thriving,” said Eglseder Wealth Management Group, Inc. President Scott Eglseder.

The event’s locally sourced menu included 700 freshly shucked oysters from Cole’s Seafood and Deli in Easton, Maryland, handmade hamburgers from Frase’s Meat Shop in Preston, Maryland, and Nathan’s hot dogs, baked beans, shrimp cocktail, and a variety of other sides from Acme Market in Easton, Maryland. Beer and assorted wines were provided by Town and Country Liquors of Easton, Maryland, with Smith Island cakes from Skipjacks in St. Michaels served for dessert.

The Chesapeake Bay Oyster Reef Recovery Initiative was founded in 2011 by Eglseder Wealth Management Group, Inc., and, as measured by the number of growers in any group, has grown to be the largest group of oyster growers (for restoration purposes) in the State of Maryland.

The project is part of the state’s Marylanders Grow Oysters program to encourage people to become involved in Maryland’s oyster restoration efforts and clean-up of the Chesapeake Bay.

“We were honored to have former Secretary of Maryland’s Department of Natural Resources Jeannie Haddaway-Riccio speak about her previous responsibilities and share information about the Chesapeake Bay Agreement,” says Eglseder. “We additionally heard from Maryland DNR’s Shellfish Division Director Chris Judy, who computed that the Initiative had collected and planted more than 217,000 baby oysters in the Tred Avon River, our designated state oyster sanctuary.”

Eglseder says in keeping with the Initiative’s ongoing “How it used to be” Oyster Social theme, guests were greeted with a display of classic cars from the Antique Automobile Club of America. These automobiles were brought to the event by Andy and Agnes Wilhem of Centreville, Maryland, Mary and Bud Story of Barclay, Maryland, and Diann Prahl and her grandson, Kent Callahan of Queen Anne, Maryland.

Guests also enjoyed displays and presentations from the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Sciences Horn Point Laboratory, Phillips Wharf Environmental Center, and the Oyster Recovery Partnership.

To learn how to become an oyster grower, please visit www.oystersforthebay.com or contact Suzanne Anderson, Program Manager, at 410-822-9143.

A recent article in the Washington Post this week suggests that the rental market in the U.S. is beginning to cool down following a historic run-up of prices that marked the fastest increase in rents in nearly a century. And a review of the data cited by CoStar Group suggests a similar trend for Mid-Shore counties, but when looking at the average rent in all five counties, it is stunning to see how disproportionately expensive Talbot County has become since 2019.

With an average rent of almost $1,400 per month, Talbot County leads the Mid-Shore with a whopping 45% increase since the benchmark year of 2019. Coming in 2nd place was Queen Anne’s County at 21%, Dorchester at 6%, Kent County with 4.6% and Caroline at 4.2%.

 

 

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Queen Anne’s County Economic & Tourism Development (QACETD) hosted its first Field to Table event celebrating small agricultural entrepreneurs on June 8, 2023. For the last three years, the department has supported over 25 local agricultural businesses by providing micro grants of up to $10,000 to assist with marketing, implementing capital improvement projects, and/or conducting research through a grant fund made possible by Upper Shore Regional Council and the Queen Anne’s County Commissioners. The Field to Table event showcased the grantees’ products and connected the ag entrepreneurs with local business and community leaders.

“We’re incredibly proud of the fact that Queen Anne’s County has a thriving ecosystem of farmers and producers that are creating such unique, accessible, high-quality products,” said Rebecca Clark, the County’s Economic Development Coordinator. “What better way to celebrate them than to give our local business and community leaders the opportunity to hear their stories, sample their products, and enjoy a thoughtfully curated dinner made with products they cultivated or produced? Every one of the grantees participating tonight and the local businesses we brought in to make the evening special are contributing to the economic vitality of Queen Anne’s County. They each play a role in making it a better place to live.”

Several of the grantees have developed partnerships with one another, resulting in a multiplier effect of the funding they received. One such partnership is between Oksana Bocharaova of Oksana’s Produce Farm and David King of King Mushrooms. David is able to utilize space in Oksana’s commercial kitchen to produce value-added products that he can take to his thriving farmers market circuit, and for a small fee this access offsets a portion of Oksana’s cost to lease the commercial space.

The county’s five breweries – Big Truck Farm Brewery, Bull & Goat Brewery, Cult Classic, Patriot Acres Farm Brewery, and Ten Eyck Brewing – recently joined forces to share knowledge and resources as the Queen Anne’s County Brewers Coalition. The group used their most recent micro grant to collectively educate county residents and beyond about the history of breweries and the science of alcohol manufacturing through marketing of their Hop On: QAC Brewery Tour.

“This partnership and the ability to get to work with all of these different people and organizations has created something that not a lot of others can say they have. Queen Anne’s County is really unique,” said Jacob Heimbuch, co-owner of Bull & Goat Brewing and Old Courthouse Distillery.

The ag entrepreneurs and their products featured at the Field to Table event included: Blue Heron Farm (strawberry jam), King Mushrooms, LLC (Lions Mane mushrooms and tinctures), Mindful Acres (microgreens), Oksana’s Produce Farm (carrots and pickles), Quillen Farms (wagyu beef), SunKissed Flower Farm (flowers for the tables and an make-your-own bouquet station), Tidewater Organics (flour for dinner rolls), Tomahawk Farms (flowers and jam), Where Pigs Fly Farm (chicken, eggs), Love Point Winery, Patriot Acres Farm Brewery (goat milk soap) and each of the County’s breweries.

To complement the featured products, Chef Alicia Boyd of Humble Hearts Catering & Events curated and coordinated a lovely dinner for the attendees. Justin Crew of AP Speakeasy tended bar, serving beer, wine and spirits from QAC breweries, wineries, and distilleries. Michael Waskey Music performed, and Caroline Phillips photographed the event. All of the event vendors were also from Queen Anne’s County.

The event was originally set to take place at Godfrey’s Farm in Sudlersville, Maryland, but the air quality that day prompted a shift to an indoor venue. Kennard African American Cultural Heritage Center opened its doors to event goers and provided a beautiful, light-filled space to host the combined farmer’s market and dining experience for the evening. There were over 60 people in attendance at the event, including representatives from Senator Cardin’s office, Senator Van Hollen’s Office, Delegate Steve Arentz, Commissioners Jim Moran and Jack Wilson, the Queen Anne’s County Economic Development Commission, Upper Shore Regional Council, Chesapeake College, UMD Cooperative Extension, and Maryland Department of Commerce.

“What started out as a small idea with these micro ag grants became a collaboration between three counties and has turned out to be wildly successful. We even won an award at MACo for outstanding innovation,” shared Susan O’Neill, Executive Director of Upper Shore Regional Council.

For more information on economic development in Queen Anne’s County, Maryland, contact us at 410-604-2100 or email Heather Tinelli: [email protected] or Rebecca Clark: [email protected].

Mid-Shore Pro Bono has recently earned a Candid Platinum Seal of Transparency on GuideStar by showcasing the nonprofit’s mission-driven goals and measured impacts of the differences Mid-Shore Pro Bono is making on Maryland’s Eastern Shore.  

GuideStar connects people with data on more than 2.7 million nonprofits recognized by the U.S. government. GuideStar’s Nonprofit Profiles include information from nonprofits, the IRS, and other partners in the nonprofit sector. 

“Now, our community members as well as 10+ million GuideStar users can find in-depth information about the impact Mid-Shore Pro Bono makes in the lives of the people we serve,” said Mid-Shore Pro Bono Executive Director Meredith Lathbury Girard, Esq. “This Platinum Seal of Transparency helps us shine a spotlight on the big differences we help make in our communities.” 

Mid-Shore Pro Bono connects Eastern Shore individuals and families in need of legal representation with volunteer attorneys to ensure that justice truly is for all. Civil legal services include family law, housing, life planning, and economic stability. For more information, call 410-690-8128 or go to www.midshoreprobono.org. More about GuideStar is at guidestar.org.

Whether you agreed with Ronald Reagan’s politics or not, most would agree he was a “great communicator.”  He was, of course, trained to deliver words. One of his first jobs was as an announcer for WHO in Des Moines, Iowa…and the rest was oratorical history.  Many of us remember the great speeches- “Mr.  Gorbachev tear down this wall.” Or his speech following the Challenger Disaster. What was special about his delivery was not his ability to read a teleprompter or to give a small nod at the right moment, but the words he used. His speeches brought his ideas to life by telling stories and using word pictures. Of course, he had a great team of speech writers who knitted the words and phrases into a successful speech.

Several years ago, I read a book by Frank Luntz, one of those speech writers. In Words that Work, Luntz shares the secrets to great communication.  

“It’s not what you say; it’s what people hear. You can have the best message in the world, but the person on the receiving end will always understand it through the prism of their own emotions, preconceptions, prejudices, and preexisting beliefs.”

Luntz also shares what he thinks is one of the most powerful tools in political communication. That is, to get your audience to visualize… imagine. Only when people can see a better future will they consider a change.

In mediation, I often use the word imagine. When parties are stuck in the past or cannot move the mediation process forward, I ask them, “What would life be like if you had this conflict behind you?” That often causes a pause and a reflection on why they are there. It is not to convince me who is right or wrong. I am not a judge. It is not to convince the other party who is right. Mediation is about finding common ground, albeit imperfect, and getting on with your life without the stress and emotion of argument and disagreement.  

Imagining a different future also provides the basis for setting goals that will help you get there. Those goals become the guardrails for mediation. It helps parties decide what an acceptable outcome is and what is not. What they can offer and what are “must-haves.” In settling conflicts, whether in a divorce or a contract matter, focusing on the future is a powerful motivator and will help produce a successful outcome for both parties. But that future first needs to be defined. That is where taking the time to “imagine” a better life is a powerful tool.

“Logic will get you from point A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere.”

Albert Einstein

Steve Forrer, the former dean, and vice-chancellor of the University of Maryland Global Campus, is currently a mediator for the Maryland District and Circuit Courts. Questions can be submitted at www.doncastermediation.com/contact for Steve to answer in this column. He also accepts private mediation.