The Louisiana Attorney General’s Office has closed its review of an open meetings complaint involving Tallulah Interim Mayor Yvonne Lewis and the City Council, determining that no further action is warranted.
According to an October 13 letter from Assistant Attorney General Jared Matte, the matter stemmed from a self-reported concern by Lewis about possible violations of the state’s Open Meetings Law after she spoke individually with three council members about a proposed investigative audit. Councilman Toriano Wells later filed a formal complaint on the issue.
In her August 25 letter to the Attorney General, Lewis said she asked Councilmembers Joe K. Scott, Lisa Houston, and Margie Day why they had previously voted against an audit. Each told her it was because of the cost. During the Aug. 14 council meeting, Wells objected to her comments and cautioned that the conversations could amount to a “walking quorum.” Lewis said she did not poll members about future votes and disclosed the talks publicly during the meeting.
The Attorney General’s Office said the discussions involved an eventual quorum of the council on a matter that could come before the body for a vote but acknowledged Lewis’s proactive disclosure and self-report. The office found that her actions to ensure transparency and facilitate review were sufficient and that no additional steps would be taken.
Wells’s complaint also alleged that Lewis prepared meeting minutes in violation of state law requiring the city clerk to perform that duty and that she added discussion of the audit to the Aug. 28 meeting agenda. He said Lewis agreed to table the item while awaiting guidance from the Attorney General’s Office.
Attorney General Liz Murrill’s office commended Lewis for voluntarily disclosing the potential issue and urged continued caution to ensure that all deliberations take place within properly noticed public meetings.
