Frisco officials have to know that an ultimate decision to push retail development on the so-called 10-acre parcel behind Safeway would result in a petitioned ballot question to kill it.

And given Frisco's record on such votes, opponents to retail development would likely win.

Which makes it curious the town is going to launch back into another public "process" to evaluate developers' requests to build on the parcel.

A town-sponsored vote on the matter this spring could avert a lot of brain damage. Or, it could ferret out a silent majority that thinks retail development is the right answer, thus allowing deliberations to go forward with greater certainty and, perhaps, less rancor.

Town manager Michael Penny is getting the Bronx cheer for his efforts to prove the town needs money to keep up services and develop amenities. But that's his job, to understand the numbers and forecast the future.

He'd be lying if he told his town council and the citizens anything less than he has.

Now, it's up to the elected officials to discern the politics of the matter.

Maybe, just maybe, Friscoites don't care if they don't have more of everything, and less of everything might be their preference.

Mayor Bernie Zurbriggen said many months ago that if people are against something, it might mean that they need more facts.

Since then, through the hiring of consultant Ford Frick and planning work with Alberta Development Partners, many more facts have been put into the public domain.

Nothing has changed in the public mind, at least as we've seen it. That's why a spring vote, even on an advisory question, would be merciful, one way or another.