Editor’s Note: This article is based on a Facebook message screenshot received by HeartofWebster, prior HeartofWebster reporting, Louisiana law, the Lawrason Act FAQ, and public concerns involving the Town of Cullen. HeartofWebster is not claiming that any person has been found guilty of a crime. Statements described as concerns, allegations, or witness accounts have not been ruled on by a court.
A Facebook message received by HeartofWebster has raised new concerns about how some Cullen officials are responding to public questions, outside scrutiny, and citizens asking for accountability. The message appears to come from Yolanda Castleman, who identifies herself in the message as an alderman.
The message was received after HeartofWebster published reporting on the canceled Cullen town hall meeting. In that earlier report, witnesses said citizens arrived for a public meeting but were met with locked doors, changing explanations, and threats of arrest. That article raised questions involving Louisiana’s Open Meetings Law, the Lawrason Act, public records, law enforcement response, and whether citizens were denied their right to attend a public meeting. (Heart of Webster)
Instead of providing records or a public explanation addressing those concerns, Castleman’s message appears to attack the people asking questions. It also attempts to connect HeartofWebster’s reporting to Mr. Brian P. Bass, even though Mr. Bass is not part of HeartofWebster and did not know about this message before HeartofWebster received it.
What the Message Said
According to the screenshot reviewed by HeartofWebster, Castleman first wrote, “You can’t. I don’t even know you. And you are not even from Cullen. How are you going to help anyone.” HeartofWebster responded by stating that it did not know her either, but that HeartofWebster has a committee member who lives in Cullen and that the organization had been asked to help.
Later that evening, Castleman sent a longer message stating, “Sir there’s nothing going on in the Town of Cullen, but lying. And it takes people like you who loves misery and mess to keep rumors going. No one wants the facts, the truth. It’s crazy. You are not even from here. I’m an Alderman. I don’t need your help on anything. Help those lies you are constantly spreading.”
Castleman continued by writing, “And also I didn’t invite you in my inbox. So please stay away from me with this nonsense. Bet you thought you had another flunky. Do not inbox me again. I didn’t ask for you Mr Bass. While you are trying to hide behind a title.” She ended the message by stating, “Please again and again stay out of my inbox. Because after I ask you to and you don’t. It’s HARASSMENT!!!”
HeartofWebster takes any request not to receive private inbox messages seriously. If Castleman does not want direct private messages, HeartofWebster will respect that request and will not continue private inbox contact with her.
However, that does not end the public’s right to ask questions. Respecting a private no-contact request does not stop public reporting, public records requests, public meeting questions, public criticism, or investigation into matters involving the Town of Cullen.
Public Accountability and Direct Contact
Castleman has the right to say she does not want private inbox messages from HeartofWebster. HeartofWebster respects that request and will not continue direct private messaging with her.
However, a private no-contact request does not end public accountability. It does not stop public reporting, public records requests, public meeting questions, public criticism, or investigation into matters involving the Town of Cullen.
The message raises concern because Castleman identifies herself as an alderman while also telling HeartofWebster that it is “not even from Cullen” and accusing HeartofWebster of spreading lies without providing records, documents, meeting minutes, financial reports, notices, or other evidence to correct the record.
That matters because public records, public meetings, public money, police operations, water systems, town budgets, and taxpayer-funded resources are not private matters. Louisiana Public Records Law gives adults the right to request public records, and that right is not limited only to people who live inside the town involved. Louisiana Revised Statute 44:32 states that the custodian shall present any public record to any person of the age of majority who requests it, and the custodian generally may not ask who the requester is except for age, identification, and limited clarification when the request is unclear. (Legislature Louisiana)
HeartofWebster is not claiming that Castleman committed a crime based on this message alone. The message may be rude, dismissive, and unprofessional, but one message by itself does not automatically prove harassment, cyberstalking, malfeasance, or an ethics violation.
The public concern is broader than one message. If elected officials use insults, intimidation, locked doors, ignored records, or claims of harassment to discourage citizens from asking questions, then the issue becomes much larger than a private Facebook exchange.
Harassment Claims Do Not End Public Accountability
Castleman has the right to ask HeartofWebster not to send her private inbox messages. HeartofWebster should honor that request, and it will.
However, calling something “harassment” does not automatically make it harassment under Louisiana law. Louisiana law looks at the facts, including the number of contacts, the content of the messages, whether threats were made, whether obscene or abusive language was used, and whether the communication was made with the intent to threaten, terrify, harass, coerce, or intimidate.
Louisiana law recognizes crimes involving repeated unwanted direct communications, threats, obscene language, and electronic communications made for the purpose of threatening, terrifying, or harassing another person. At the same time, Louisiana’s cyberstalking statute states that it does not apply to peaceable, nonviolent, or nonthreatening activity intended to express political views or provide lawful information to others. (Legislature Louisiana)
Louisiana’s unlawful communications statute addresses certain direct communications involving obscene, profane, vulgar, lewd, or threatening language used with intent to coerce, intimidate, or harass. It also addresses repeated direct communications that are reasonably expected to abuse, torment, harass, embarrass, or offend another person. (Legislature Louisiana)
For that reason, HeartofWebster will respect Castleman’s request not to receive private inbox messages. Future questions for Castleman or the Town of Cullen should be handled through public records requests, public meetings, official town communication channels, or public reporting.
That is not harassment when done lawfully, peacefully, and without threats. It is public accountability.
What This Message Does and Does Not Show
Based on the screenshot alone, HeartofWebster is not stating that Castleman violated criminal law. The safer and more accurate statement is that the message raises serious questions about professionalism, transparency, and how an elected official responds to public scrutiny.
The message does not answer why citizens say they were left outside a locked town hall after a public meeting had been noticed. It does not answer why residents say the explanation for the meeting cancellation changed multiple times. It does not answer why citizens are still asking for financial records, meeting minutes, water answers, and police operation records.
The Lawrason Act FAQ explains that the board of aldermen is the municipality’s legislative body and that an alderman acting alone, without authority from the board, cannot bind the municipality. That means Castleman’s private message does not automatically speak for the entire Town of Cullen unless she was authorized to do so, but it still matters because she is an elected official responding to public concerns involving town government.
If Castleman believes HeartofWebster has published something false, the proper response is to provide records, documents, meeting minutes, financial reports, notices, emails, text messages, or other evidence that corrects the record. HeartofWebster will review any evidence provided.
Calling people outsiders is not evidence. Calling people liars is not evidence. Calling someone a flunky is not evidence. The public deserves facts, and public officials should answer public questions with records, not personal attacks.
Public Officials Should Not Use Pressure to Avoid Accountability
HeartofWebster views the tone of Castleman’s message as an attempt to discourage a community watchdog organization from asking questions. Whether the message meets any legal definition of harassment, intimidation, or misconduct is a separate question that HeartofWebster is not deciding in this article.
A public official can disagree with reporting, request a correction, send documents, issue a public statement, or decline an interview. A public official should not respond by calling people outsiders, accusing them of spreading lies without producing proof, or trying to connect a watchdog organization to someone who is not part of it.
HeartofWebster does not harass public officials. HeartofWebster asks questions, reviews records, listens to citizens, investigates concerns, and publishes information connected to matters of public concern.
If public officials do not like that, the proper response is transparency. The proper response is not to call people “messy,” accuse them of spreading lies, or try to pressure people away from asking questions.
The Open Meetings Issue Still Matters
This message did not happen in isolation. It came after a town hall meeting was reportedly canceled at the door after citizens arrived expecting to attend a public meeting.
Louisiana Open Meetings Law states that every meeting of a public body shall be open to the public unless properly closed under a legal exception. The same law also requires public comment before action is taken on agenda items, subject to reasonable rules and restrictions. (Legislature Louisiana)
Louisiana Revised Statute 33:405 states that the mayor and board of aldermen must hold at least one regular meeting each month, that special meetings may be called by the mayor or a majority of the board, and that all meetings of the board of aldermen are subject to Louisiana’s Open Meetings Law. The statute also provides rules for the mayor pro tempore, quorum, special meetings, emergency meetings, and continued meetings. (Legislature Louisiana)
Witnesses told HeartofWebster that citizens were threatened with arrest, the Mayor gave multiple explanations for the cancellation, and residents were left outside Town Hall demanding answers. Those concerns did not disappear because an alderwoman sent a message accusing HeartofWebster of spreading lies.
Citizens are asking questions because they believe they have been denied transparency. They are asking about open meetings, public records, water concerns, police operations, town finances, missing meeting minutes, and why a noticed public meeting ended with locked doors and threats of arrest.
Those are serious public questions, and they deserve serious public answers. Calling people outsiders does not answer why residents say they were left outside a locked town hall after a public meeting had been noticed.
Brian P. Bass Is Not HeartofWebster
Castleman’s message incorrectly brings Mr. Brian P. Bass into a matter involving HeartofWebster. For the record, Mr. Bass did not know about this message before HeartofWebster received it, and he is not part of HeartofWebster.
Mr. Bass does not control HeartofWebster, does not direct HeartofWebster, and did not send HeartofWebster to contact Castleman. Attempting to attach HeartofWebster’s reporting to Mr. Bass is misleading and distracts from the real issue, which is whether Cullen’s elected officials are willing to answer public questions.
HeartofWebster is a community watchdog platform that investigates concerns brought forward by citizens, committee members, and concerned residents throughout Webster Parish. HeartofWebster has committee members across the parish, including people connected to Cullen, and when citizens ask for help, HeartofWebster reviews the information, asks questions, and publishes what it can support.
That work is not harassment. It is public accountability.
Mr. Bass Wants Peace, Not Conflict
HeartofWebster has been told that Mr. Brian P. Bass wants peace and wants the Mayor of Cullen to come to the table and talk. That matters because some people seem to be trying to make this issue about personalities instead of facts.
In a prior written statement, Bass described his background as one shaped by poverty, military service, faith, and a desire to help people. He also stated that division based on race, sex, nationality, or religion should not control how people treat one another, and that his reason for helping people is rooted in the belief that “we are one people.”
This is not about whether officials like Mr. Bass, whether officials like HeartofWebster, or whether someone lives in Cullen, Springhill, Minden, or anywhere else in Webster Parish. The issue is whether Cullen’s government is willing to follow the law, release public records, hold lawful meetings, and speak directly to the people.
If leadership wants peace, then leadership must be willing to sit down, answer questions, and stop treating public concern as a personal attack. Bullying Mr. Bass will not work, and bullying HeartofWebster will not work.
Trying to turn a public accountability issue into a personal fight only proves why the people are demanding transparency in the first place. The better path is simple: bring the people to the table, release the records, explain the decisions, and let facts replace rumors.
Legal Concerns May Grow if Public Duties Are Ignored
This article is not claiming that Castleman committed malfeasance, harassment, cyberstalking, or any other crime. The message alone does not prove that, and HeartofWebster is not making that legal conclusion.
However, Louisiana law does impose duties on public officials. Louisiana’s malfeasance in office statute applies when a public officer or public employee intentionally refuses or fails to perform a duty lawfully required of that person, intentionally performs such a duty in an unlawful manner, or knowingly permits another public officer or employee under that person’s authority to intentionally fail to perform a required duty or perform it unlawfully. (Legislature Louisiana)
That is why the larger pattern matters. If public officials refuse records, fail to keep required minutes, deny lawful access to public meetings, or use threats and pressure to discourage citizens from exercising legal rights, those issues may require review by investigators, oversight agencies, attorneys, or a court.
The public does not need rumors to solve this. The public needs records, meeting minutes, notices, agendas, financial documents, and clear answers from the people elected to serve.
Legal Remedies May Exist if Rights Were Denied
If citizens believe Louisiana’s Open Meetings Law was violated, Louisiana Revised Statute 42:25 allows the Attorney General, the district attorney, or any person who has been denied rights under the law or has reason to believe the law has been violated to bring enforcement proceedings. That means citizens do not have to simply accept silence if they believe open meeting rights were denied. (Legislature Louisiana)
Louisiana Revised Statute 42:26 allows courts to grant remedies in Open Meetings Law cases, including mandamus, injunctions, declaratory judgment, voiding actions where allowed by law, civil penalties, and attorney fees for a successful party. These remedies show that open government violations are not just political concerns; they can become legal matters if citizens pursue enforcement. (Legislature Louisiana)
This is why public officials should be careful when responding to watchdog groups, citizens, and residents who ask questions. A public official may disagree with criticism, but dismissing public concerns as “lies” without producing records does not resolve the legal issues.
The Administration Still Has a Choice
Mayor Terry Hoof, Alderwoman Castleman, and the Cullen administration still have an opportunity to change direction. They can sit down with citizens, explain what happened, release the records, and show the public that Cullen’s government belongs to the people.
So far, the public pattern appears to be moving in the wrong direction. A meeting was canceled, doors were locked, citizens say they were threatened with arrest, social media attacks followed, and now an alderwoman’s message accuses HeartofWebster of spreading lies without providing records, documents, or evidence that answers the public’s concerns.
That is not how trust is rebuilt. Public trust is rebuilt through records, answers, lawful meetings, and leadership that is willing to face the people.
HeartofWebster’s Response
HeartofWebster will respect Castleman’s request not to receive private inbox messages. HeartofWebster will not use private messaging to continue a conversation she has clearly said she does not want.
However, HeartofWebster will not stop reporting on public matters involving Cullen. HeartofWebster will continue to investigate concerns brought forward by citizens, review evidence, ask for public records, publish documented concerns, and give public officials an opportunity to respond.
If Castleman, Mayor Hoof, or any other Cullen official believes HeartofWebster has published something false, they are welcome to provide records, meeting minutes, financial reports, notices, emails, text messages, or any other documents that correct the record. HeartofWebster will review evidence, but name-calling is not evidence.
The people of Cullen deserve facts. They deserve records, answers, and leadership that is willing to deal with the public in a professional way.
The Questions Still Remain
Castleman’s message does not answer why the town hall meeting was canceled, why citizens were left outside, or why residents say they were threatened with arrest. It also does not answer why the explanation for the cancellation reportedly changed multiple times.
The message does not explain why residents are still asking for financial records, why meeting minutes remain a concern, or why Cullen’s leadership appears more focused on attacking the people asking questions than answering the questions themselves. It also does not explain why Mr. Brian P. Bass was brought into a message involving HeartofWebster when he is not part of HeartofWebster.
Public service is not about controlling who gets to ask questions. Public service is about answering those questions with facts, records, and accountability.
Cullen does not need more attacks, locked doors, or personal insults. Cullen needs peace, lawful meetings, public records, and leadership willing to come to the table with the people.
HeartofWebster will continue doing what it was created to do. It will hold power accountable with facts, records, and the voices of the people.
