Chairman Butler denies financial interest after email asks for recusal on Jackson House LOI

An email from Christopher Hadden was read into the public record asking the city, council and EURA to disclose any financial or professional relationships Chairman Mark Butler has with parties tied to the Jackson House property and to recuse Butler from related proceedings. The email characterized the proposed transaction as approximately $1,600,000 and asked for written disclosures and recusal.

Chairman Butler responded orally, denying any financial interest in the Jackson House or adjacent parcels and tracing his planning experience and personal work in downtown improvements. Several commissioners said verbal comment sufficed for the public record; others discussed the LOI content, noting the city council had added a condition protecting exterior façade improvements but did not impose interior restrictions. After discussion the board moved to approve the revised letter of intent and instructed the chairman and director to sign.

The board did not take a written recusal request at this meeting and no formal disclosure was added to the record beyond Butler's verbal statement.