A letter to the Douglas County News Press:

First off, I want to thank you for your newspaper and keeping the community informed of what is transpiring in our city. I look forward to its arrival each week.

I read with interest your article on hand-picking new library board members without the due diligence of the Partnership of Douglas County Governments and a local library official nominating people for the positions. This process which has been in place for years has been usurped by our county commissioners. Why, might I ask, did the entirety of the old board members need replacing? I have spoken with several of the library staff who were quite content with the way the library was managed previously.

If this is about four books that the commissioners don’t want youth to have access to, then why not put them behind the desk and set a minimum age for check out? It’s a simple solution that takes away whatever the deeper motive is for takeover with personal agendas. I have not read the books, but I assume Mr. Teal and Mr. Laydon have, due to the judgments they are rendering. If the books give information to persons struggling to find out more about these subjects, then why must they be banned?

I would like to know why Mr. Laydon and Mr. Teal feel compelled to defend one of their choices for the board as “a man of faith” and we met at “the National Prayer Breakfast.” What exactly does this have to do with a library board appointment? I am a deeply spiritual woman but assuredly don’t feel the need to broadcast it. My character speaks for itself.

The population of Douglas County has increased dramatically over the last few years. I suggest that with the increase it might be time to have five, rather than three county commissioners. Hopefully, five commissioners would represent the interests of the various districts that make up Douglas County. It would also prevent the personal agendas, decisions, vendettas, and questionable ethics we all have seen over the past few years.

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Summary – Douglas County Library Board Appointment Changes

Douglas County commissioners recently bypassed the traditional appointment process for the Douglas County Libraries Board of Trustees, taking sole control over selections and appointing three new members: Amy Windju and Pam Hampton (Feb. 24) and Taylor Watson (Mar. 4).

Departure from Established Process

• Previously, an interview panel from the Partnership of Douglas County Governments recommended candidates, which included sitting board members and local officials.
• In December, commissioners George Teal and Abe Laydon rejected the panel’s recommendations (Rick LaPointe, Meghann Silverthornn, Joe Kopacz), reopened applications, and kept seats vacant until they chose new appointees themselves.
• This change returns appointment authority solely to commissioners, a practice last used from 2013–2018.

Political & Community Background of Appointees

• Windju and Hampton are district captains for the Douglas County GOP and have donated to local Republican causes, including Teal’s campaign.
• Hampton co-leads the Parker Conservatives group.
• Windju previously advocated for removing certain LGBTQ+ themed books from library shelves, citing “age appropriateness,” though she denies supporting book banning.
• Both criticized the library board’s ties to social equity initiatives.

Commissioners’ Rationale

• Teal said the appointees reflect a “more traditional” view of library roles and were involved in recent debates about book content and display.
• Laydon said they balance First Amendment rights with parental rights and child protection, and that they oppose censorship but reject “radical agendas.”
• Both emphasized the appointees’ faith and ties to the gay community as evidence of a balanced perspective.
• Watson, also described as a man of faith, was chosen after Teal met him at the National Prayer Breakfast; his financial planning background was cited as a strength.

Controversy & Implications

• The shift in appointment power and choice of politically active appointees with prior positions on library content has raised concerns about politicization and the potential impact on library policies, especially regarding LGBTQ+ materials.
• The Library Board of Trustees has declined to comment on the changes.