“I have three different fellowships,” Evans said. “That doesn’t mean I directly align with everything each one of those institutions is involved in. That does not also mean I cannot be objective when I am looking at something outside of those three institutions.”

Rounds said he was also disappointed when the council decided against bringing the Seidman Research Institute, from Arizona State University, onto the study.

After questions of bias around the study first arose, the mayor suggested the addition of a second research group to also work on the study.

Evans said a second independent research group may have led members of the public and the council to have more confidence and trust in the results of the study.

So Rounds said he was surprised when the council then questioned whether the Seidman Institute would be biased and decided against bringing on the institute during their Jan. 7 meeting. Rounds added they had gone out of their way to bring Seidman on and were ready to redirect money to Seidman.