From the Beehive E126 - Strategic Planning with the City Manager

The holidays are coming, and Santa has made a special stop at St. Thomas City Hall—straight from Level 3—for a festive edition of From the Beehive! In this holiday episode, Mike is joined by two very special guests: Douglas (D. Fer), the official Christmas tree of the City of St. Thomas, and City Manager Lisa Higgs, for a warm, lighthearted, and informative conversation about leadership, community, and what's ahead for our city.

​Lisa shares what the role of City Manager or CAO really means, what brought her back home to St. Thomas, and how her personal connection to the community shapes her work. From childhood memories on the north side to steering City Council's long-term vision, this is a chance to get to know the person helping guide the city forward.

🎁 In this episode, you'll hear about:
✅What the City Manager does and how Council's vision becomes action
✅The City’s Strategic Plan, A Brighter Future, and why it matters
✅The two key pillars guiding City operations:

• Excellence in all that we do \
• Being a prepared and resilient team

✅How progress is being tracked—with over 65% of action items already completed
✅What's coming next as City Council continues to review the plan with community input

Want to read up on the City of St. Thomas' Brighter Future? Find it here.

Wrapped in a bit of holiday humour and seasonal cheer, this episode is both a reflection on the year behind us and a hopeful look toward 2026 and beyond.

​👍 If you enjoyed this update, please like, subscribe, and follow along for more From the Beehive episodes highlighting the people, projects, and plans shaping St. Thomas.