A town selected a site and obtained approvals to build a community center. At project kick-off it was discovered a local farmers' group, which uses the site for a monthly market, was not consulted. What should the project manager do to move the project forward?

The correct answer is to engage all stakeholders, including the farmers' group, to review project objectives and their requirements. This proactive approach aligns with best practices in stakeholder management, ensuring all affected parties are identified and their needs considered early in the project. Ignoring the farmers' group (proceeding with construction) is a recipe for conflict and potential project delays or failure. While logging a risk is important, it's a reactive measure; direct engagement is a more effective first step to understand and mitigate the issue. Asking the sponsor to negotiate compensation is premature; the project manager should first understand the group's concerns and potential solutions before resorting to financial settlements.