Livingston Parish Council votes to remove entire library board, appoints new members

The Livingston Parish Council voted to remove all members of the Livingston Parish Library Board of Control on a 6-3 roll call after an extended public hearing that drew dozens of speakers and sharply divided community opinion.

The move followed a motion from Councilman Ricky Goff to “remove all members of the board,” seconded by Councilman John Mangus. “The only way I know to do this is to clear the board, reset the table, and have a good focus,” Goff told the council before the vote. The council then began a sequence of appointments to fill the vacant seats.

The vote capped a meeting marked by lengthy public comment in which residents, pastors, former board members and parents alternately urged the council to restore library funding and to remove board members they said had allowed sexually explicit material to remain accessible to children. Supporters of the existing board described the dismissals as politically motivated and warned that wholesale replacement would disrupt library services.

Why it matters: The council’s action replaces the parish’s volunteer library oversight body at a moment of intense local controversy. Speakers highlighted both the portion of the budget the board adopted and board decisions about moving challenged books within the system; many speakers described the library’s digital and children's programming as central to education and community services.

Most important facts - Motion and vote: Councilman Ricky Goff moved to remove all members of the Livingston Parish Library Board of Control; the motion was seconded by Councilman John Mangus and passed by roll call with recorded yes votes from Councilmen Dean Coates, John Mangus, John Wascom, Billy Taylor, Lonnie Watts and Ricky Goff; no votes from Councilmen Ryan Shavers, Joe Erde and Erin Sandifer. - Public comment: More than 40 residents spoke during the public hearing. Speakers included parents, pastors, former library board members and library users. Arguments centered on (a) preservation/restoration of library programs and digital services and (b) objections to specific books placed in children’s sections. Comments named individual board members and organizations and included repeated requests to reinstate the budget originally proposed by the library director. - Appointments: Immediately after the removal, the council began appointing new board members by district. Several nominations passed on roll-call votes; at least one nomination failed (District 9). The council discussed staggering terms so seats remain staggered.

Discussion and council remarks Councilman Goff, who made the motion, said he hoped replacement members would be “around the same table with the same directions” and that a reset would allow the board to “work on a little bit more professional level.” He told the chamber: “...we need to reset this thing, stay with the same agenda, same focus, and the same goals… provide a good quality library.”

Council members who opposed the blanket removal urged caution and warned of legal risk. Councilman Ryan Shavers moved to indefinitely postpone the removal; the motion failed. Several council members noted a pending federal lawsuit in another parish over a similar action and asked for legal review before proceeding; the council nonetheless voted to remove the members.

Public voices Resident Mary Luthborough described the library as “a pillar that improves…careers and education” and urged the council to preserve services. Connor Lejern and other speakers accused specific board members of ties to outside political groups and urged removal. Multiple speakers, including longtime patrons and retired library staff, urged the council not to “destroy our library” or to remove experienced board members who had overseen services and literacy programs.

Appointments and next steps After the board seats were vacated, the council moved to fill them by district. The meeting record shows confirmations for several nominees by roll call; other nominations failed. Council members discussed referencing each seat’s remaining term so the board’s membership remains staggered. Several council members said new appointees should meet qualification criteria and be vetted before finalizing future appointments.

No immediate changes to library operations were ordered in the council motion; the council’s action removed the volunteer oversight board and began the replacement process. Several council members said they would work to reinstate specific library services and budgets through future actions.

Ending Council leaders said they expect appointments to continue at upcoming meetings and acknowledged the possibility of additional public response. The council closed the public hearing after more than an hour of speakers and moved on to other business on the agenda.