Let's be honest: some of your recent specialty item ideas have not been popular, no matter what you do. As developers, your choice is law in the game of course... But wouldn't it be much easier to introduce something if it has been passed thru and looked at from a players point of view too? Tweakes suggested, issues with public attested, already discussed?

Not only could it help you guys at STS have easier transitions for radical updates, but could also let us GoA do what their status implies: help the community.
Even we can be caught a little off guard by sudden changes, but given the chance to talk it out before you guys throw it on us we can more easily mediate forum rage and fears.

Maybe the GoA populace is too small right now, but it will grow.
Best method to implement this would probably have to be private areas to the forum, only viewable if you set your status from senior member to Guardian.