By Tiffany Flournoy
CULLEN, La. — Repeated procedural breakdowns, skipped agenda items and questions over public notice timing have raised more concerns about transparency in the Town of Cullen, where a recent council meeting lasted approximately 15 minutes and left multiple agenda items unresolved without recorded votes.
The June 22 meeting followed canceled and rescheduled sessions earlier in the year, including an April 27 meeting that was canceled shortly before its scheduled start time and a May 5 meeting that was also called off minutes before it was to begin. The town later held its regular May meeting on May 18, leaving no April meeting on record.
The June meeting agenda, posted at Town Hall on Friday, June 19 — a holiday — included items referencing April minutes and April financial statements despite no April meeting taking place. Town Hall is also closed to the public from Friday through Sunday each week.
Louisiana’s Open Meetings Law requires public bodies to provide written notice of meetings at least 24 hours in advance, excluding weekends and legal holidays, and to conduct official business in open session with formal votes or procedural action.
Webster Parish Journal previously reported on a similar issue in February, when the town posted notice of a regular council meeting on a Saturday for a meeting scheduled the following Monday. The matter was discussed at the next council meeting, where the town’s attorneys advised officials on the steps necessary to cure the notice deficiency under Louisiana’s Open Meetings Law.
On June 22, during Item 6 — approval of the agenda, a motion was made by Alderwoman Denise Epps Hoof and seconded by Alderwoman Yolanda Castleman, followed by discussion.
Alderwoman Barbara Green objected during discussion, stating the agenda included references to April business, including approval of April minutes and financial statements.
“Yes, Mayor, I do have something on the agenda because on number seven and eight, which says approval of April 2026 minutes. We didn’t have a meeting so we don’t have those. April financials also we didn’t have a meeting, so we don’t have that,” Green said.
Town Clerk UnTracy Brittentine responded regarding financial documents.
“I just gave you those, Ms. Green. They were laying there when you sat down. It has a letter from the bank with it also,” Brittentine said.
Green objected that the materials had not been included in council packets and were provided at the meeting instead.
“But we just received those. We are supposed to get these in our packets so we can go over them and I cannot go through these sitting here and they were not in the packet,” Green said.
“It’s only one,” Brittentine replied.
Brittentine did not address concerns raised regarding the absence of April meeting minutes.
No vote on the agenda was taken, and the mayor immediately proceeded to agenda item 8.
Item 7, listed as approval of April 2026 council meeting minutes, was not called for consideration.
Item 8, approval of the April 2026 financial statements, was then taken up for discussion.
Alderwoman Floydean White said she had not been given sufficient time to review the materials before the meeting and described the process as rushed.
“I’m in agreement that we should’ve gotten it before we got here. It’s just kind of hurried up, so we might need to table it and carry it over,” White said.
White then made a motion to table Item 8, which received a second. White clarified she was requesting that both Item 7 and Item 8 be tabled.
Mayor Terry Hoof responded, “OK, we can do that,” and turned to the clerk to confirm the action, which she acknowledged.
No vote on the motion was heard before the meeting continued.
No vote on the motion was heard before the mayor continued on to agenda item 9 — Mayors update.
The mayor said he had no updates to report. The meeting adjourned immediately after.
Under Louisiana Open Meetings Law, public bodies are required to provide advance notice of meetings and conduct official business in open session, with actions taken through recorded votes or formal procedural action such as approval or tabling.