The Palo Alto City Council, led by City Manager Ed Shikada and Vice Mayor Vicki Veenker, is reevaluating its reliance on consultants after spending $27 million last year. Council member Greer Stone expressed frustration over consultants who defended their positions instead of adapting to council feedback. Residents have voiced dissatisfaction, particularly regarding recommendations to reduce retail spaces despite surveys indicating a desire for more retail. The council aims to restore trust and improve the integration of community feedback in future consultant engagements.
"I think we have lost some trust in the community with how we have been using them," Vice Mayor Vicki Veenker said at a Policy and Services Committee meeting on Wednesday.
"Ultimately, we're hiring them to do the job that we want to do, and it's not for them to really sell us on their plan," Stone said.
"There are also mistakes and redundancies that we should be careful not to have in the next round of discussion," former Commissioner Doria Summa said at the meeting.
Annette Glanckopf, co-chair of the Midtown Residents Association, said residents have consistently ranked the lack of retail as their top concern in surveys.
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