Some residents certainly feel unheard, and the Astoria City Council has had communication failures, but that doesn’t mean our community is powerless or unrepresented. Good leadership means guiding discussion, asking hard questions, helping councilors reach clear decisions and explaining those decisions honestly to the public. Those meetings would help councilors hear priorities before issues reach City Hall. It comes from residents, neighborhood associations, city staff, councilors and the mayor working toward shared goals. We must be responsible for staying engaged.