Section 700.APPENDIX A   Illinois Department of Agriculture

Section 700.EXHIBIT C   Conflict Resolution Process

When a project is not in compliance with a policy statement and/or working agreement and a compromise cannot be reached, or an agreement cannot be reached on the contents of a policy statement or working agreement when updating these documents, conflicts shall be resolved quickly at the lowest level of agency involvement.  Toward this aim, the following four-stage, standard procedure shall be followed.  The process is initiated at the staff level and, if the conflict cannot be resolved, moves up the ladder of responsibility ending in the Governor's office.  At each stage, personnel from one agency shall work with his/her counterpart in the other agency.  A time frame has been built into the system to keep the process moving in an expeditious manner.

STAGE I  (21 days):  (A) When a conflict arises, the professional staffs of the agencies involved in the conflict shall meet and attempt to resolve the disagreement (Part A – 14 days).  (B) If the matter is not resolved after 14 days, the DOA Bureau Chief shall meet with his/her counterpart in the other agency (Part B – 7 days).

STAGE II  (14 days):  If no resolution is reached, representatives at the next management level (equivalent to DOA's Division head) shall meet to discuss the conflict.

STAGE III  (14 days):  If the conflict remains unresolved, the matter shall be submitted to the Directors of the agencies involved.

STAGE IV  (14 days):  If a satisfactory solution cannot be found, the conflict shall be referred to the Office of the Governor for resolution.

(Source:  Exhibit C renumbered from Exhibit B and amended at 11 Ill. Reg. 20527, effective December 2, 1987)