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Public commenters urge board to negotiate judgment and tighten agenda rules
Summary
Two public commenters addressed the board: David Cushman said a jury awarded his company about $30 million and invited the board to meet to resolve the claim; Gary Grama urged changes to the municipal code to prevent two aldermen from triggering staff time without broader board authorization.
During the public‑comment period two speakers addressed the Board of Aldermen.
David Cushman, a long‑time Branson resident, told the board that a jury had awarded his company a roughly $30 million judgment against the city and said a final judgment could be executed soon with accruing interest. "My attorney sent your attorneys a letter stating that we are offering to meet with this board to come to a resolution suitable for both parties," Cushman said, and he invited the board to meet before appeal‑related costs increase.
Gary Grama addressed the board’s agenda process. He said municipal code paragraph 2‑62(b) currently permits an alderman and the mayor or two aldermen to request agenda items for regular meetings, and he argued that the provision is silent on using common sense and courtesy. Grama proposed adding a short resolution requirement and a mechanism that would give the full board an opportunity to decide whether staff time should be invested in an item — or to send the item to a study session for triage.
Board members engaged with Grama’s proposal on the record, with several saying the idea of a brief resolution to summarize a requested item had merit and could help the board triage staff time. No ordinance change was made at the meeting; Grama’s proposal was recorded as public comment and as direction for possible future code discussion.
What was not decided: The board did not take a formal action regarding the Cushman judgment at the meeting, and no change to municipal code was proposed or enacted on the floor.
Next step: Cushman’s offer to meet was placed on the record as a public comment; any response or negotiation would occur outside the public comment period and through the city’s legal representatives or staff.
