What is this ‘Consultant Evaluation Survey’?

The Township Supervisor has recently posted on the township website a public survey in the form of a Consultant Evaluation Worksheet related to the selection of an independent environmental and engineering consultant for review of the proposed mining project. According to the survey, the purpose of this worksheet is to gather individual perspectives and identify themes to inform later discussion, and “completion of this worksheet does not constitute a recommendation or decision.”

This survey asks residents to evaluate and compare professional environmental and engineering consultants. Before completing it, I found it important to pause and reflect on the following questions that I needed to ask myself before deciding how, or whether, to participate.

If this survey is not determinative, is completing it the most meaningful way for me to contribute?

The Township has stated that completion of this worksheet does not constitute a recommendation or decision. With that in mind, I have paused to consider what role this survey is intended to play and whether completing it aligns with how I want my input to be used in the overall process.

Am I being asked for my values, or for my technical judgment?

Is this survey asking me to share my concerns, priorities, and lived experience? Or to assess professional qualifications, technical scope, and regulatory expertise?

Do I feel qualified to evaluate professional consulting firms?

Do I have the background, experience, or context needed to compare consultant independence, expertise, or technical capacity and would I feel comfortable standing behind those judgments later if questioned?

Is this the role I want to play in the review process?

Is evaluating professional consultants how I want to contribute, or would I prefer to share my input through public comment, written statements, or other forums focused on community impacts and values?

If this survey is not a deciding factor, why am I filling it out?

Am I participating to be heard, to learn, to influence outcomes, or to support the process? Does this survey align with that purpose?

Who else is being asked to complete this survey?

Is the survey limited to Springfield Township residents, or is it open to a broader audience, township leaders, currently engaged independent experts? How might that affect how responses are interpreted?

Why is my name being requested?

Do I understand that providing my name is required? Why? How it will be used? Will this become part of the public record?

What legal or procedural protections do I have as a respondent?

The Township has stated that it is legally permitted to ask these questions. What protections, if any, do I have regarding how my responses may be stored, shared, or referenced later?

How could my participation help the Township?

Will my responses clarify community priorities, support informed decision-making, or strengthen the review process?

Could my participation unintentionally complicate the process?

Could my responses be misunderstood, over-interpreted, or later cited in ways I did not intend?

Is this the best way for me to provide meaningful feedback?

Given the complexity of the project and the importance of the decision, is this survey the most effective way for me to contribute? Or are there other avenues that better reflect what I want to communicate?

What does informed participation mean to me?

Am I comfortable participating with a clear understanding of my role, the limits of my influence, and how my input may be used?

Will all the responses be accessible to others once the survey is completed?

I need to consider whether responses, including any identifying information, may be shared, summarized, or posted publicly, and how that could shape how individual input is interpreted.

Will I be filling out the survey?

No. Even with access to the materials and a background in environmental science, I am mindful that this process involves technical, regulatory, and legal considerations that extend beyond individual review.

Independent, paid experts such as Mike Wilczynski of Pangea LLC and Brian O’Mara of Agate Harbor LLC are engaged precisely because they are positioned to evaluate these questions using established scientific frameworks and legal standards, and to stand behind their conclusions in a formal review process.

For that reason, I have chosen not to complete the survey myself, and instead to rely on the expert review process as it was designed.

Residents should choose to participate in this process in the ways they feel are most meaningful and appropriate for them, including completing the survey if they believe it is the right way for them to contribute.