What the forums actually revealed
What the Armstrong candidate forums revealed beyond campaign biographies.
The candidates often use the same words:
communication. affordability. transparency. infrastructure. responsible growth.
The forums were useful because they showed that those words mean different things to different people.
Communication: the argument is more complicated than “the City didn’t tell us”
The evidence does not support the simple claim that Armstrong did no consultation around CARI.
There were workshops, engagement sessions, online material and other opportunities for public input.
The current council repeatedly pointed to that process.
The disagreement is really about two other questions:
Did the information reach enough people?
and
Did people believe their input affected the eventual decision?
Babott argues information existed but did not reach everyone.
McLennan says she participated but still felt important information was missed later.
Zopf questions how representative relatively small in-person participation can be.
Todd argues council listened but cannot govern according to whichever group is most vocal.
Cramer says the City consulted extensively but could have described the project itself more clearly.
Those positions are not mutually exclusive.
A government can consult extensively and still communicate poorly at certain stages.
It can also listen to feedback and choose not to follow it.
Being heard and getting the decision you wanted are not always the same thing.