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Speakers ask Branson aldermen to disclose meetings with Cushman and recuse on appeal
Summary
Public commenters accused an alderman of private meetings with the Cushman family during a pending $30 million appeal and asked the board to require disclosures and recusal; the requests were entered into the public record during comments.
Two public commenters asked the Board of Aldermen to address potential conflicts tied to the Cushman appeal. Gary Grama cited municipal code and Missouri practice to argue aldermen cannot individually direct staff and criticized what he called private meetings between Alderman Schultz and the Cushmans while the $30,000,000 appeal is pending. Grama asked that Schultz and any other members meeting privately with the opposing party be excluded from executive-session discussions and negotiations regarding the appeal.
Cherry Webster followed with a related but broader request, recounting Schultz's July remarks that he had "had breakfast with the Cushmans" and saying such meetings "create an appearance of impropriety." Webster asked the mayor to request dates and attendee lists for communications with the Cushmans since August 2022 and urged recusal where appropriate. Board members did not make a formal motion on the public requests that night; the comments were accepted into the record and will be available to the board and staff.
