(Originally published in Citizens for a New Louisiana) — If you opened this article asking yourself, ‘Where is that?’ and ‘Why should I be interested?’—we assure you, this is a story you won’t believe.

What if a small-town mayor hid public records in his garage? What if officials ignored public records laws, ran illegal meetings, and used police power for personal vendettas? Join us as we uncover what may be unprecedented incompetence and corruption in the Town of Killian, Louisiana.

The Town of Killian

Killian was incorporated as a village in Livingston Parish in 1968. By 2001, it had grown into a town, which today encompasses approximately 11.15 square miles and has a population of just over 1,200. Killian was incorporated and continues to operate under the provisions of the Lawrason Act, which provides for a Board of Alderman—Mayor form of Government. The five Alderman positions are elected at large.

According to the most recent financial report on file with the Legislative Auditor for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, the total revenue for the Town of Killian was:

• Revenue: $300,874
• Expenditures: $501,782
• Deficit: $200,908 (66% more than the town’s income)

During that same budget year, the fund balance shrunk from $201,398.00 to $138,885.00.

The contracted auditor notated a common deficiency, inadequate segregation of duties (typical for small municipalities), and more serious deficiencies, such as a lack of documentation and approval on credit cards. A random sampling of two credit card statements was selected for this category. Seven out of seventeen transactions (41.1%) were found to lack supporting documentation to substantiate the public purpose of the transaction. A lack of controls over capital assets and traffic tickets was also noted. Additionally, the auditors found the municipality failed to comply with the provisions of state law by not submitting a financial statement within six months of the close of the fiscal year and by not making the required statutory adjustments as required by the Local Budget Act when the Town’s expenditures were over budget by $250,472.00 or 99.67%.

This Is Just the Tip of the Iceberg

Killian has also been the subject of several lawsuits. Still, one particularly eye-opening was filed by a town resident who has been actively engaged in her community, attempting to find out what is happening. While the financial report only tells one facet of the story, the litigation tends to reveal a complete lack of transparency that lurks below the surface.

We often point out that a lack of transparency creates an environment where government inefficiency, corruption, and waste flourish. We should also consider the possibility that the latter may come first, with officials becoming less transparent to cover their tracks involving intentional acts of corruption and to avoid accountability. Could this be the situation in Killian?

A recent complaint filed in court alleges a pattern and practice of the Town violating the Louisiana Public Records and Open Meetings Laws.

Article XII, Section III of the Louisiana Constitution outlines the right of direct participation and provides:

“No person shall be denied the right to observe deliberations of public bodies and examine public documents, except in cases established by law.”

Public Records

On one occasion, the complainant alleges that she and other residents requested a copy of water testing records for the Killian water system. Mayor Ronald Sharp’s response? The records were NOT public because they were “in his garage at his house.”

 In addition, the complainant alleges that public records requests submitted over the last two years have gone unanswered—allegedly at Mayor Sharp’s direct order.

On January 20, 2024, the complainant again submitted a public records request to the Town Clerk, Mayor, and Aldermen. To date, only Alderman Kimberly Gill has responded to the request. Alderman Brent Ballard subsequently allegedly blocked the complainant and others from viewing the “official” Town of Killian social media pages.

On June 12, 2024, the complainant submitted a public records request asking for “a copy of all documents that support the town’s expenditures for April and May of 2024.” While the Town has acknowledged the receipt of the request, no formal response has ever been provided.

More Records Requests Go Unfulfilled

On September 10, 2024, the complainant submitted a public records request asking for “any and all police bodycam video for an hour after the September 10 town meeting, as well as a copy of the town policy that allows and regulates such bodycam usage.” Six days later, the Town acknowledged the receipt of the request and indicated it would be “worked on.” No formal response has ever been provided. Other co-custodians, such as Chief of Police Steven Fontenot, failed to even acknowledge the request.

On October 26, 2024, the complainant submitted a public records request requesting “all itemized invoices submitted to and/or paid by the Town of Killian, by the town attorney (Ernie Drake, III), his office, or anyone else providing any legal services to the Town of Killian for the last six months.” The town clerk responded that no invoices had been paid or received. There has been no response from the town attorney.

Other Problems

In addition to the requests listed above and the many other pending requests, the suit also alleges open meetings violations. On February 14, 2024, the Town of Killian held a public meeting. Notice of the meeting was posted on February 13, 2024, Mardi Gras Day, a state holiday. Despite being advised that going forward with the meeting would violate the Open Meetings Law, the Town officials proceeded anyway.

The Town officials then set out to hold another meeting on March 14, 2024, with the agenda mirroring that posted for the February 14, 2024 meeting. There was little or no discussion at this meeting, likely because everything had been discussed at the illegal meeting held on February 14, 2024.

The Definition of “Emergency”

According to the suit, in April of 2024, Mayor Sharp allegedly conspired with other public officials to artificially create an “emergency’ with the Town’s municipal water system. Sharp, then allegedly unilaterally and without approval from the Board or the State Bond Commission, incurred hundreds of thousands of dollars of debt for the Town by signing a Cooperative Endeavor Agreement with Livingston Parish, which included a requirement that the Town repay the parish for “repairs” to the water system.

However, the Louisiana Department of Health allegedly found no repairs necessary. It issued an order requiring the Town to restore the system to its condition before the fake emergency.

Mayor Sharp also allegedly signed a contract with a consultant without any advertisement or Board authorization. The consultant’s estimated cost versus what the mayor approved is nothing short ot shocking.

• Official Estimate: $3,500 per week
• Mayor Approved: $7,500 per DAY 

That’s a 1,400% price increase—without board approval.

All In the Family

Records also indicate that in May of 2024, the Town of Killian, under the authority of Mayor Sharp, purchased thousands of dollars in tires from Tires By Sharps, LLC in Springfield, Louisiana. According to the Louisiana Secretary of State, the sole officer of Tires By Sharps, LLC is Jesse Sharp, the son of Mayor Ronald Sharp. This is, again, a clear violation of the law. Louisiana Revised Statue 42:1113 A(1)(a) provides:

“No public servant… or member of such a public servant’s immediate family, or legal entity in which he has a controlling interest shall bid on or enter into any contract, subcontract, or other transaction that is under the supervision or jurisdiction of the agency of such public servant.”

There are allegations that another Alderman, who owns several apartments in Killian, did not have to pay the town for water. That same Alderman also allegedly introduced an ordinance to declare a town road abandoned so that he could obtain ownership of the property.

We have also come into possession of a video which allegedly depicts the aftermath of one instance of an adult son of Mayor Sharp following an incident of domestic battery/child endangerment. Out of respect for the family and children involved, we will not publish the video here. But instead of being charged or jailed for the allegations, the Killian Police Department allegedly brought the Mayor’s intoxicated son to a bar.

Retaliation Against Concerned Citizens

The complainant formed a social media group page entitled “Dissolution of the Town of Killian” to discuss the pros and cons of dissolving the Town. After all, when faced with incompetence and corruption by government officials, wouldn’t you just rather keep your hard-earned tax dollars instead of having them laundered and funneled through a “legitimate” organization (Killian) and into the hands of others? Well, when you try to have a rational discussion about these things, public officials begin to behave like an untouchable group of thugs.

Government officials allegedly targeted the complainant in response to these discussions and her speaking during public meetings. They allegedly repeatedly called her supervisors at her place of employment. They set up meetings with her employer to chill her speech.

Even the police reportedly sought the issuance of an arrest warrant regarding a bonfire that the complainant did not light, did not fuel, and was not on her property. The fire department proceeded to put out the fire while allowing a fire on an adjacent property to continue burning, as fire chief Brian Drury allegedly had strict instructions to target only the fire near the complainant’s property.

Further, it is alleged that Mayor Sharp and his wife bragged at an event that evening that the complainant would ‘be going to jail.’

We’re Working On It Now, Too

After learning of this ordeal, we submitted our own public records request to the Town of Killian. We simply asked for “All public records [requests] submitted to the Town of Killian and/or public officials of the Town of Killian for the period of January 1, 2022, through present.” In less than one hour, we received a reply: “We have received your public records request and are actively working on completing your request.”

We’ve heard these promises before.

Will the people of Killian vote for change on March 29, 2025? Or will the same officials remain in power, ignoring public records, misusing funds, and silencing their critics? We’ll be watching. And so should you.