The fact that they are employing this subversion unfortunately means that your position means nothing......whatever it is that they want is already a done deal.
Whatever they are doing now, and whatever they do soon, is known as "lip service"
Soon, they will publish a "report" which indicates that the "group" agrees with them, and whatever they want should be implemented.
Sorry to be so cynical, but I've seen it happen over and over, on a wide range of proposals.
I have yet to find a way to stop it, once it gets started. I wish I could be of more help, but at least you know now what they're up to.
That is also what my thoughts were.
Now, if you don't mind me picking your thoughts, how does this concept transfer over to the other grants? Like the school lunches?
Am I asking who owns the children?
That's because it's already a done deal BEFORE it "gets started."
The real decisions are made in the back rooms. The "process" that WE get to see is just lubrication, to make the "implementation" as trouble-free as possible.
The game is rigged from the getgo.