Residents urge oversight, town halls and water fixes after efficiency study

During the public‑comment period on the Blackbird Group study, residents urged the council to pair the consultants’ recommendations with stronger oversight, community engagement and attention to long‑running infrastructure problems.

Gary Rose said a change manager should be the first step and recommended an independent transformation oversight committee or program‑management office to ensure accountability. "A change manager should be the first step," Rose said, adding that program oversight must be independent of current decision‑makers.

Kelly Wheaton described residents as the "third leg of the stool" and urged council members to exercise leadership rather than constantly deferring decisions to staff. Several speakers asked for more and different public engagement — including town halls and workshops with more question time than standard four‑minute public comments.

Michelle Lou Covell highlighted water concerns, saying decades of deferred investment have left residents paying rates while major maintenance projects were delayed; she questioned whether the city’s water‑neutrality policy still scales to larger projects and warned of cumulative system stress. "The real question is whether there will be water in those pipes," Covell said.

Tamara Sorensen read a submitted letter calling for a council code of conduct, a "devices down" policy during meetings, and public governance workshops to restore decorum and public trust. "Saint Helena has fallen from grace," Sorensen said, urging the council to adopt enforceable standards of behavior.

Council members acknowledged the comments and suggested staff would incorporate public input into the implementation plan; several council members endorsed regular check‑ins and periodic town halls to maintain momentum and transparency. No formal decisions on oversight structures, town halls or water policy were made at the meeting; staff will return with recommended next steps.