By Tiffany Flournoy
CULLEN, La. — As the Cullen Town Council’s regular monthly meeting was in its public comment portion of the agenda Monday night, resident Demekus Gipson stood at the clerk’s desk, trying to sign his name to the public comment list.
Gipson arrived at the meeting minutes after it began. It wasn’t until public comments began and he asked to address the council, that he learned residents were required to sign in before speaking — a rule announced by Mayor Terry Hoof just before the meeting started.
“I didn’t know anything about these rules,” Gipson said, attempting to add his name so he could address the council.
Mayor Hoof struck the gavel and directed the council to move on.
“I haven’t gotten my three minutes, so now I feel like I’m being neglected as a tax-paying citizen,” Gipson said, frustration evident in his voice.
The exchange set the tone for a meeting that repeatedly descended into disorder, as residents and council members clashed over public comment rules and the limits of citizen participation.
Frustration During Public Comment
Earlier, resident John Thompson addressed what he described as “deplorable conditions” throughout the town.
Thompson cited drainage problems, debris blocking culverts, and sewage near a manhole cover close to his property.
“This is absolutely unacceptable,” he said.
Standing water near his property, he said, resulted from leaks and debris-covered culverts preventing proper drainage. He also warned that deteriorating streets could soon damage vehicles.
“You go down some of these roads, and they’re like a rocky road,” he said. “Somebody is going to tear up their vehicle.”
At times, Thompson paced the room in visible frustration, urging others to sign in for public comment.
“This place should be full,” he said. “Look at all the issues this town is dealing with.”
He also criticized how the town was being run, calling conditions chaotic.
“It’s like a zoo,” he said. “This is absolutely unacceptable.”
Residents have circulated photos and videos in recent weeks showing deteriorating conditions in the town, including leaks from the town’s lone water tower, highlighting further concerns about Cullen’s aging infrastructure and drinking water system.
Dispute Over Speaking Time
When Thompson’s three minutes expired, his wife — who had also signed up to speak — yielded her time to him, allowing him to continue his remarks.
Afterward, she asked if she could briefly address the council for one minute.
“Can I please have just one minute?” she asked.
Mayor Hoof declined.
“No, he got your minutes,” he said referencing yielding her time to her husband. Later in the meeting, she raised her concerns out of order, loudly addressing issues related to the town’s drinking water.
Alderwoman Barbara Green attempted to interject, but the mayor insisted he was conducting the meeting and pressed forward with the agenda.
Multiple times, the mayor struggled to regain control as voices grew louder in a meeting at times interrupted by public concerns and frustrations, though he repeatedly directed the council to proceed, including ending public comment time abruptly.
Thompson challenged the decision to move forward.
“You’re talking about conducting your business,” he said. “This is the town’s business.”
Attempt to Speak Denied
Amid the escalating tension, Gipson offered to yield his speaking time to Mrs. Thompson or to speak himself.
Standing at the clerk’s desk, he continued asking to be allowed to participate.
“I just wanted my three minutes,” Gipson said.
Questions About Public Participation
Moments before the meeting began, Mayor Hoof had announced that residents wishing to speak must sign in, to help track concerns.
Because Gipson arrived after public comment started, he said he was unaware of the requirement until trying to participate.
“Under Louisiana law, public bodies must provide citizens an opportunity to comment on agenda items before official action is taken. Local governments may impose reasonable rules governing public comment, such as time limits or procedures for orderly participation.”
Mayor Hoof never referenced any official town rule or ordinance governing public comment, leaving residents uncertain about what, if any, formal procedures applied.”
During the meeting, Alderwoman Bianchi Veal raised broader concerns about public access.
Veal noted that town-wide meetings for residents to raise concerns typically occur only once every three months and suggested they happen more frequently.
The mayor responded the matter had already been discussed.
“We done had that conversation,” he said.
For Gipson, being denied the chance to speak remained unresolved.
“I just wanted my three minutes,” he said.
Frustration and Civic Reckoning
As the meeting adjourned, frustration lingered like standing water in Cullen’s streets. Residents left with questions unanswered, infrastructure problems unaddressed, and civic engagement blocked at every turn — including moments when the mayor tried to regain control by repeatedly calling out the police chief, who was seated across the platform. With leaks from the water tower, pothole-filled roads, and voices denied a platform, Cullen’s challenges are both structural and civic.
