Library board to redo vote for chair

By John Labriola - The Citrus County Library Advisory Board (LAB) will redo its vote for chair when it meets next month.

The LAB met in February to seat two new members and vote to elect new officers. Justin Strickland, who was named LAB chair in 2024 and 2025, presided over the officer elections although his previous chairmanship term had expired. When he was nominated, he immediately called for a vote instead of asking if there were any other nominations.

"I believe this did violate Roberts Rules and we did not have a chance to vote on closing nominations, and I did not have the chance to voice my opinion on a nomination," LAB member Rhys Campbell said at a recent county commission meeting, adding that he shared his concern with Library Director Adam Chang and Community Services Director Eric Head. 

Following Campbell's complaint, Chang agreed that "out of an abundance of caution," the LAB will redo the vote when it meets again on April 28.

Strickland won his nomination as chair on a 7-2 vote, with only Campbell and Lenora Nelson opposed, which would seem to indicate that the revote will be ceremonial, but it may be contentious. Following last month's vote, Strickland launched a personal attack on this blogger, which was both unprofessional and cowardly, since I was not present to respond. 

Strickland's meltdown, which was prompted by the Citrus Crusader's coverage of his opposition to a proposed Charlie Kirk book display, was applauded by leftists but sharply criticized by conservatives at the meeting.

In October, Campbell made a motion to have a temporary Charlie Kirk book display, but Strickland urged its defeat because he claimed the display would be "political," although the library displays books by or about many other political figures including Martin Luther King in January and various political personalities – such as Malcolm X, Kamala Harris, Michelle Obama and Anita Hill – during Black History Month and Women's History Month.

In response to the Kirk controversy, the county is now in the process of reviewing changes to the library system's display policy proposed by Commissioner Jeff Kinnard to focus on literacy, lifelong learning and cultural enrichment instead of political content. Campbell asked commissioners to let the LAB review the policy before it's approved by the commission.

Commissioner Janet Barek said she believes the county should stop all political displays. 

"I have always said library displays need to display what's going on in our county by our students and get everything else out of there, and if you keep this political, it's going to be a lot of hassle," she said. 

The Charlie Kirk controversy also came up at a forum last week for commission candidate Stacey Worthington, who is challenging County Commissioner Diana Finegan in the Aug. 18 primary, as she did in 2022. 

Asked whether she would support a Charlie Kirk book display, she said she wouldn't because it would be political, but then went on to defend the library system's other political displays. 

"Is Charlie Kirk political? Yes. I don't think Black History Month is political and I don't think Women's History Month is political," Worthington said.

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