"In addition, council members simply do not have the time or expertise to evaluate complex large packets of staff notes and staff justification that typically are received short days before they are being asked to decide on important matters related to downtown or any other type of development."  

True!

I  had to review a major building construction project contract for a governmental body once.  The thing was almost four inches thick and extremely detailed.  My boss actually had to sign off on it, but he  had all of us take a look at it before he approved it.

All of us missed a clause inserted by the architect which required that the governmental body "provide, at all times when the supervising architect is on site, a bunch of not less than two (2) nor more than three (3) ripe bananas for the exclusive use of the supervising architect."

The news media were tipped to this clause and demanded my boss explain it, he responded, "I didn't think it was an unreasonable provision."