The city of Corvallis wants to know if you think store employees watch you more carefully and more suspiciously than other customers. Has someone written graffiti on your car or lawn? How about that employer who told you customers aren’t really “comfortable” with you?

The person who really wants to know if any of these things or anything like them has happened to you or someone you know, is Roni Sue. She is the Corvallis ombudswoman, hired on contract with the city and the Community Alliance for Diversity. An ombudswoman is a person paid to listen to complaints and try to find equitable settlements for disputes.

“I’m not a part of their problem,” Sue said, about her role in helping people who are frustrated and upset and don’t know where to turn. “I’m a neutral person.”

The city ran out of funding for the full-time ombuds position in 2002, according to Linda Weaver, the city’s director of human resources. After trying to get by with the police department taking complaint calls and taking some calls herself, Weaver said, the city decided to give a three-year contract to CAD.

“We wanted to better serve the community,” Weaver said.

The goal right now is to let people know there’s someone out there who can help, or just listen. Most of Sue’s calls since she took the position in August have been landlord and renter disputes.

“I’ve talked to folks that I can’t really help,” Sue said, “but I can provide a sympathetic ear.”

Sue has extensive training in conflict resolution. She has a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s in applied ethics from Oregon State University, and a master’s degree in education from Harvard University. She has worked for Linn-Benton Mediation Services and still volunteers for them.

Sue does presentations for agencies like Coalition Against Rape and Domestic Violence, the Downtown Association and neighborhood associations to make people aware of discrimination and how she can help. She’s available to other businesses and organizations about CAD.

Complaints or disputes that aren’t criminal matters or that parties don’t want to escalate to the level of a lawsuit are exactly what Sue is trained to deal with. She can sit down with all parties to negotiate a resolution.

“I would be absolutely happy to do that,” she said. “It makes me very proud that Corvallis has a position like this.”

Sue can be reached at 738-6293.