Multiple public commenters urge investigation, allege misconduct involving police and mayor

At the start of the St. Helens City Council work session on April 16, multiple members of the public used the visitor comment period to raise allegations about city leadership and police operations and to call for investigations or release of records.

Nancy Whitney, introduced herself as a long-time community member and said she had concerns about social-media posts and the behavior of an audience member; she named her nephew and said an online post about him contained what she called “totally personal, totally unacceptable” accusations. Whitney said she had prepared written material for attendees and planned to publish further information online. She said, “I taught him everything he knows, and I know how to write.”

Keith Kopas addressed the council about a forthcoming staff report on buildable land and waterfront industrial property. Kopas said the consulting report failed to account for Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) findings about contaminated sites and “brownfields” that in his view limit industrialization of some riverfront parcels. He also complained that his comments from a prior meeting did not appear in the minutes that the council was asked to accept.

Two other speakers pressed the council on alleged wrongdoing tied to police staffing and conduct. One in-person commenter urged an expanded investigation and said that council members who are parties to litigation concerning Chief Joe Hogue “are not qualified to make that selection” for police-hiring decisions; that speaker urged recusal. A remote commenter identifying himself as Steve Toski (online) said he had reviewed evidence he believes supports prosecuting Mayor Jennifer Massey for “corruption of process” related to the police department and said he might pursue public-records requests and legal remedies if information is not provided.

Another online commenter, Adam St. Pierre, questioned the inconsistency of calling for a judicial process while also calling for records to be released into the court of public opinion, and urged care in vetting public posts. St. Pierre also said that 24-hour coverage concerns at the police department had been raised repeatedly by department leadership in prior years.

Speakers made requests that included releasing unredacted reports, recusal from police-related decisions where conflicts exist, and formal investigations into alleged misconduct. Councilors and staff did not take formal action on those requests during the work session; councilors told speakers staff would follow up and advised those making public-records requests of the formal process. The council later scheduled an executive session to consult counsel on potential litigation and attorney-client privileged matters.

This report summarizes statements made in the visitor comment period; the allegations described were asserted by speakers and have not been adjudicated by the council or by a court.