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More than 500 petitioners press Taylorville council over library director’s closed‑door firing
Summary
A string of public commenters — including the former director and staff — urged Taylorville officials to investigate the library board’s closed‑door termination of the library director and to consider removing board leadership; petitioners said over 500 residents have signed a petition demanding change.
Residents and former library staff used the council’s public‑comment period to demand oversight after the Taylorville Public Library director was terminated in a closed session.
Gail McGraw, speaking on behalf of 508 petition signers, said the director had revitalized the library — increasing visits by about 10,000 and securing more than $13,000 in outside funding for the Imagination Library — and called the board’s closed‑door termination ‘‘without any formal charges or evidence.’' She urged the mayor to exercise oversight authority and investigate the board’s actions.
"We will not stop showing up until we have a board that respects the community, listens to the taxpayers, and values progress," McGraw said.
The city’s recent library director, Laura Shell Ett, told the council she experienced repeated micromanagement and interference from the board president (identified in comments as Anne Chandler), that she was not afforded a meaningful opportunity to respond to allegations, and that she has documentation she says contradicts some of the claims made against her.
"I possess documentation that directly contradicts many of those allegations, yet I was never afforded a fair opportunity to present that information," Shell Ett said.
Former youth services coordinator Audrey Noor and other staff members who spoke described a pattern of board overreach and urged the council to review trustee appointment and training processes, including refresher legal training on the Illinois Open Meetings Act and employment law. Several speakers noted that two full‑time library staff members resigned in solidarity after the director’s termination.
Rachel Elam, a long‑time patron who described the library as having become "the heart of our community" under the fired director, said more than 500 people had signed a petition calling for changes in board leadership and asked the mayor and council to use their appointment and removal powers to examine trustee leadership.
Council members did not take formal disciplinary action during the meeting but multiple speakers asked the council to investigate. The mayor and city attorney said the matter will be taken up as appropriate in committee or at future council sessions.
What’s next: petitioners urged the council to formally investigate the library board’s decision; the council’s next procedural steps were not finalized at the meeting.
