News Summary
Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill has filed a lawsuit against the Livingston Parish Library Board for alleged violations of the Open Meetings Law. The suit claims the board improperly terminated library director Michelle Parrish’s contract without adhering to proper meeting procedures. Following complaints from residents, the AG’s office seeks to invalidate the board’s decision and impose civil penalties on members who violated the law. This action stems from a contentious meeting where residents voiced concerns over governance transparency.
Livingston, Louisiana
The Louisiana Attorney General, Liz Murrill, has filed a lawsuit against the Livingston Parish Library Board over alleged violations of the Open Meetings Law. The lawsuit, submitted on May 19, 2025, claims that the board did not conduct itself appropriately when it chose to terminate the contract of library director Michelle Parrish in July 2025.
According to the allegations, the board, which includes Parish President Randy Delatte as an ex officio member, failed to adhere to mandatory agenda requirements during its meeting on July 15, 2025. This meeting is significant as it involved a vote concerning Parrish’s contract after a lengthy executive session used for her annual evaluation. Murrill asserts that the board misled the public by indicating that this evaluation would not lead to any concrete decisions, and that there was no formal agenda item discussing the renewal of Parrish’s contract.
Following the contentious meeting, several residents of Livingston Parish lodged complaints with the Attorney General’s Office about the board’s proceedings. Murrill’s office, after a thorough review of these complaints, determined that a lawsuit would be the proper course of action to seek judicial review of the board’s conduct.
The legal action was filed in the 21st Judicial District Court in Livingston Parish. Murrill’s petition requests that the court invalidate the board’s decision not to renew Parrish’s contract due to the alleged violations of the Open Meetings Law. Additionally, the lawsuit seeks civil penalties against board members who knowingly violated the law.
Murrill emphasized that the Open Meetings Law exists to ensure that the public has the right to observe and participate in governmental proceedings. The lawsuit names various defendants, including the library board as an entity, current acting executive director Kyla Webb, all nine district board members, and Delatte.
Meanwhile, Brandon Browning, the Deputy Chief Administrative Officer, has stated that the office will not be discussing ongoing litigation, implying that responses to the lawsuit will be managed by the library board. Delatte has expressed that his vote against renewing Parrish’s contract was based on perceived ongoing issues between the library and the community.
Parrish, who took the library director position in 2023, was previously hired after her predecessor resigned amid controversies surrounding content restrictions in library materials. The board’s decision to not renew her contract came as a shock to many residents, particularly since prior communications indicated no consequential actions would stem from the evaluation conducted.
The public response to these events has been mixed, with some residents expressing disbelief over the AG’s lawsuit. One resident, Jordan Gonzales, remarked on feeling suppressed during the public comment segment of the July meeting. The Livingston Parish Library Alliance has condemned the actions of the library board, describing them as “outrageous.”
Additionally, the Livingston Parish Library has a track record of facing challenges related to access to books and ongoing tensions within the community regarding library governance and policies. As legal proceedings unfold, the implications for the library’s operations and governance could be significant, impacting both library staff and the community relying on its services.
As of now, the Livingston Parish Library has remained tight-lipped regarding the pending litigation, with public information officer David Gray choosing to refrain from commenting further.
Deeper Dive: News & Info About This Topic
- The Advocate
- Wikipedia: Open Meetings Act
- Livingston Parish News
- Google Search: Livingston Parish Library
- NBC News
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Law
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