Doing the Right Thing

Months ago, when I was appointed to the water-wastewater exploratory committee on the St. Helena City Council, I thought it would be a chance to dive deeper into an issue I’ve always been passionate about—our town’s water supply.

But from the first meeting, it was clear that not everyone shared my sense of urgency or care. Some of the members were visibly tired, and there was a growing reluctance to even continue the work. By the second meeting, the conversation shifted toward disbanding the committee entirely, with reasons ranging from staff workload to general burnout. At first, I went along with it, trying to understand their perspective.

But something didn’t sit right with me. The more I thought about it, the more I realized how dangerous it would be to let this committee dissolve without a fight. This isn’t just about a few city employees or a report we can put on the back burner. This is about the future of our water supply—our town’s most precious resource. What bothered me most was the idea of making this decision behind closed doors, without involving key stakeholders who deserved a voice. It felt like we were giving up on something crucial, something that would affect every single resident. As someone who lives here and plans to stay here, I couldn’t just stand by and watch this happen. That’s when I knew I had to act. I started raising awareness through every channel I could, council meetings, and community debates, and now my campaign website. I made it my mission to wake people up to the reality that if we stay passive, we risk allowing outdated practices to continue and jeopardize our vital resources. Water isn’t just a city issue—it’s a community issue, and we’re the ones who will bear the consequences of inaction. As the saying goes, "if we don’t change, nothing changes."

Now is the time to rise to the occasion. I’m urging everyone in the community to get involved, come to city council meetings, engage online, voice your opinion and stand up for what’s right. We can’t allow this committee to fade into obscurity or to be managed by those that are too tired to insert an authentic stake in our number one resource. We need to take real, decisive action to secure our water future—because, at the end of the day, it’s beyond the policy and personalities, it’s about our town’s ultimate survival.