Keller criticizes Bunkie Mayor Coulon over Haas rental

Francis Keller is no stranger to the role of antagonist to Bunkie city officials. He and Mayor Bruce Coulon have crossed swords and crossed words on the city’s neglected property ordinances and other issues. Keller was also a frequent critic of the past administration.

Now he is taking aim at Coulon over the mayor’s “verbal agreement” with Lagniappe Theatre Company for the use of Haas Auditorium last year for a production of the children’s play Jungle Book.

RECORDS REQUEST

Keller had sought several public records related to the Lagniappe Theatre agreement. In a letter to Keller, Coulon admitted “No contract was done. This was a verbal agreement.”

During the Bunkie City Council’s meeting on April 11, Coulon conceded he may have erred in the way he handled the matter. He said he was new in office and was responding to citizens’ requests that the city provide activities for youth.

About 40 children were involved in the play.

Keller said Lagniappe charged $250 per child to participate in the production and charged $10 per ticket for those attending the play.

Lagniappe was charged $2,000 -- $537.50 for hours used for practice, $1,200 rental for the night performance and $262 rental for activities the next day.

The city received a $1,700 check from Lagniappe dated “12/31/19” that should have been dated 12/31/18. The check was deposited Jan. 29.

It was noted during council discussion that the bank should have refused to deposit the check since it was post-dated by almost a year from the date it was presented for deposit.

In the council meeting, Keller also noted the first invoice he received in his public records request was dated Nov. 19, 2018 and the invoice number was 200.

The next invoice, which showed the $1,700 payment, was dated March 20, 2019 -- the day Coulon’s letter is dated, which was two days after Keller’s request for the records. The number on that page is 201.

Keller quipped that he finds it unlikely the city had no invoices between Nov. 19 and March 20.

It is also unusual that an invoice for a check received Dec. 31 and deposited Jan. 29 would not have been created until it was needed to answer a public records request.

Keller said he will be looking into the possibility of asking the parish district attorney and/or state attorney general to consider malfeasance charges in connection with the issue.