Editor’s Note: This article is part of an ongoing independent investigative reporting series that started in late 2025 examining municipal operations, public accountability and transparency in the Town of Cullen. The reporting and original work in this series were independently produced.
By Tiffany Flournoy
CULLEN, La. — Cullen Police Chief Fannie M. Rankin and the town’s lone police officer, Bryan Montgomery, have filed separate lawsuits against the Town of Cullen, alleging payroll checks issued to them were returned for insufficient funds and additional pay remains unpaid.
The petitions, filed Aug. 7 in the 26th Judicial District Court, detail dishonored checks issued in June and unpaid pay periods identified in June and July.
The payroll problems have continued into August.
Rankin confirmed Thursday that she has not received either of her August paychecks. She said she and the department’s lone officer normally receive weekly paychecks and should have been paid Aug. 4 and Aug. 11. Montgomery also confirmed that he has not received either of his August paychecks.
Those August payments are not addressed in the petitions filed Aug. 7.
What the lawsuits allege
According to Rankin’s petition, the Town of Cullen issued Check No. 3667 to her on June 16, 2026, for $453.21. The check was dishonored because of insufficient funds, according to the filing.
A certified demand letter was received by the town on June 24, the petition states. The letter was signed for by then-water clerk Carolyn Riser, according to the filing.
Riser has since resigned, according to a source familiar with the matter.
Rankin is seeking recovery under Louisiana law governing dishonored checks, including the face value of the check, statutory service charges, attorney fees and other penalties permitted by law. Her petition lists $478.21 for the check and service charge, before attorney fees and additional penalties.
The petition also alleges that pay for the July 6-12 and July 20-26, 2026, pay periods remains unpaid.
Montgomery’s petition describes a similar situation.
The town issued him Check No. 3665 on June 16 for $170.53, according to the filing. That check was also returned for insufficient funds.
A certified demand for payment was received by the town on July 7, according to Montgomery’s petition.
He is seeking $195.53, representing the check and statutory service charge, along with attorney fees and any other penalties allowed under Louisiana law.
His petition also alleges that pay for the June 22-28 and July 20-26, 2026, pay periods remains unpaid.
A department unable to patrol
The lawsuits unfold as Cullen’s police department operates under significant restrictions.
The department’s cruisers remain grounded because of the town’s difficulty obtaining fuel. As a result, Rankin and Montgomery cannot use the vehicles to patrol or respond to calls.
The Webster Parish Sheriff’s Office stepped in during May to provide primary law enforcement coverage under what was established as a temporary measure. That coverage has continued into August.
The town’s payment of invoices and access to fuel and fuel cards are handled through Town Hall.
Rankin is the elected police chief, while Montgomery is the department’s lone officer. They are the department’s only two employees.
Payroll problems extend beyond police department
The payroll problems documented in the lawsuits began before Cullen’s recent leadership changes. Both petitions identify checks issued June 16.
The town clerk resigned shortly before Mayor Terry Hoof stepped down on July 31.
Cullen is now operating without several key administrative positions, including a town clerk, assistant town clerk and water clerk. Alderman and Mayor Pro Tem Floydean White is serving as interim mayor.
The payment problems appear to extend beyond the police department.
During Monday’s town council meeting, White acknowledged that the town’s two water and sewer department employees had not been paid. Late last month, Alderman Bianchi Veal confirmed that council members had gone two consecutive months without receiving their stipends.
The town’s remaining municipal workforce is now concentrated among the two-member police department and the two water and sewer department employees, while the elected council remains in place.About the reporter: Tiffany Flournoy is an independent investigative journalist and contributing writer for multiple news outlets, including the Webster Parish Journal, with experience covering government accountability, courts, public safety and justice issues across Louisiana. Her ongoing investigative reporting examines municipal operations, transparency and public accountability.