what your former city manager thinks of you

Former City Manager John Ward (AGN, 3/31/05):

Fact is, Ward said, people rarely participate even when meetings move into the larger Commission Chambers, unless an item on the agenda directly affects them.

"I think the key is, does anybody care about what's on the agenda?" Ward said. "If they don't care enough to come to the public meeting, they're sure as heck not going to come to the work session."

It's not that we don't care, Mr. Ward. It's that we have jobs.