Conflict Resolution Specialist Is Hired To Mediate Dispute Over Freedom Center

The agency managing the development of ground zero hired a conflict resolution specialist yesterday to mediate the dispute between planners of the proposed International Freedom Center and some September 11 victims’ family members, who have said they fear that offensive or disrespectful material might be displayed in the cultural center.The Lower Manhattan Development Corporation’s president, Stefan Pryor, said yesterday that the hiring of attorney Peter Woodin was an attempt to “reach out” to all the parties.Mr. Woodin is based in the Lower Manhattan offices of JAMS, a private firm that claims on its Web site to be the nation’s largest private provider of alternative dispute resolution services.Under pressure last month, the development corporation asked the Freedom Center to submit more detailed plans by September 23. Earlier this week, the center named several family members of September 11 victims to a new family advisory panel.One of the most vocal opponents of the Freedom Center has been a family member who is a board member of the World Trade Center Memorial Foundation, Debra Burlingame. She told The New York Sun yesterday that the hiring of Mr. Woodin is “a p.r. ploy to make it look they are trying to work this out.”“They outsourced the problem of the memorial to someone who knows nothing about what is going on,” she said. “It’s a complete sham to make the public think they are acting in good faith, and they are not.”Ms. Burlingame has been an outspoken opponent of the museum. She said she fears handing complete control over content in the space at the World Trade Center site to cultural institutions that will be protected by the First Amendment. Her brother, Charles Burlingame III, was the pilot of the hijacked plane that crashed into the Pentagon.Another foundation board member, Thomas Roger, who is the father of a flight attendant, Jean Roger, killed on September 11, said he was encouraged by the hiring. Mr. Roger said he had previously worked with Mr. Woodin and judged him to be a “highly qualified lawyer.”“I take it as a fairly responsible move on their part to get somebody to mediate some of these issues,” Mr. Roger said.Between 1993 and 2004, Mr. Woodin worked for the Feinberg Group. He served as the deputy special master for the federal September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001.According to the LMDC, his contract was being negotiated and no figure was yet available.

Conflict Resolution Specialist Is Hired To Mediate Dispute Over Freedom Center

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