A Government That Doesn’t Listen Must Be Reminded Who It Serves

By John Toups
Citizen, Thibodaux
Believer in Political Vigilance, and in Eternal Vigilance as Expressed by Our Founder, Thomas Jefferson

To the Members of the City Council, the Mayor, and the People of Thibodaux:

I did not begin this journey to be confrontational. I began it with the hope that my city—our city—could be governed with transparency, accountability, and responsiveness to the people it serves.

But after months of communication, after submitting information, concerns, and reasonable requests—and receiving silence, avoidance, or inaction in return—I must now speak publicly. Not to shame anyone. Not to assign blame. But to raise the one question that matters in any democracy:

Are you representing the people, or simply managing a process that no longer works?

Why I’m Speaking Out

I have sent documents. I have raised concerns. I have offered ideas. I have asked questions. I have tried to work through the channels our charter provides.

But when there is no acknowledgment, when there is no visible correction, and when accountability is absent—it becomes necessary to speak in a different way. That is where we are now.

What I’ve Asked For—And Still Wait For

• A public master plan for infrastructure: drainage, sewage, roads, and capital investment.
• Oversight of the $62 million budget—not rubber stamps, but real representation.
• Town halls to allow citizens to ask questions about how and why decisions are made.
• A commitment to transparency, to explain how funds are prioritized and why longstanding problems—such as drainage in the Rienzi area—remain unresolved despite study after study.

I’ve also asked for public discussion about the 2018 Rienzi Study—its implications then and now. Despite its significance, no formal acknowledgment, approval, or action has been taken by the Mayor or the City Council.

I’ve submitted digital evidence identifying five major drainage and infrastructure issues in the Rienzi area and received no response.

I’ve invited council members to directly observe problems in the park, even provided them an audit form, and was told they are not permitted to inspect it.

I’ve asked for dialogue and collaboration regarding budget priorities. Instead, he told the public he was not competent to recommend items for consideration. When I proposed specific solutions, I was told it’s not the Council’s role to place them in the budget—that such matters are deferred to the Mayor.

I made four phone calls and three email requests, and was never granted an audience with the mayor. I’ve made official public information requests for inspection reports on the park, of which we have a risk manager who is supposed to spend 10% of his time doing that, and never received anything. I’ve asked for public information requests for meeting minutes and after action reviews and lessons learns as a result of Hurricane Francine and its devastating impact of our citizens, and received nothing so far.

There is no discussion. There is no dialogue. Earlier this year, the Council even removed public comment from the agenda. Though it was eventually reinstated, the action itself revealed the mindset: treating city business as a closed meeting, not a forum for public engagement.

And that raises a deeper concern:
Why is there no discussion?

Are key decisions being made outside of public view—possibly in violation of the Sunshine Law?

We have a right to understand how you think and how you decide—so we can evaluate whether or not you represent the views and expectations of the people you were elected to serve.

What Is the Role of the Council?

I ask you:

• If the Council doesn’t provide checks and balances, who does?
• If the Council doesn’t represent the people’s concerns, who will?
• If this Council cannot clearly explain where we’re going and how we’ll get there—why should the people trust your leadership?

Representation is not attendance. It is not silence. It is not deference to the mayor or to city staff. Representation means inquiry. It means stewardship. It means courage.

My Intentions Moving Forward

I will not be silent. But I will be respectful.

• I will inform the public.
• I will share what I know.
• I will challenge the status quo.
• I will organize with others who believe that citizens deserve answers, and that budgets are moral documents—not just financial ones.

This is not personal. I believe many of you want to serve. But service without results, transparency, or accountability is not enough.

When a team isn’t producing outcomes, it is not hateful to ask for a change. It is necessary.

This Is Not Defiance—It Is Democracy

To the people of Thibodaux, I say this:

Our city spends over $62 million per year. That is your money. And it should serve your interests—not political convenience or bureaucratic delay.

If those in office cannot hear us, we must raise our voices.
If those in power cannot respond, we must seek new leadership.

This is not about anger. It is about purpose.
It is not about rebellion. It is about representation.
It is not about me. It is about us.

Because a government that doesn’t listen must be reminded who it serves.

Respectfully,
John Toups
Citizen, Thibodaux