I think of the relationship between the voters and the Council to be like a 2-branch government with checks and balances. The voters are the legislative branch,

I think of the relationship between the voters and the Council to be like a 2-branch government with checks and balances. The voters are the legislative branch, but their decisions can be overturned by the judicial branch (the Council). Those judicial decisions can themselves be overturned by a supermajority of the legislative branch. Decentralization is a spectrum, not a binary. While a centralized entity plays a part in the process, ultimate authority rests with the voters. The Council also has a plan to decentralize itself over time and voters will eventually be able to vote on removing or replacing the Council.