MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WTVF) — Emails obtained by Rutherford County Library Alliance through a public records request show the Rutherford County Library System Board is working to hire a new attorney ahead of a special meeting Monday, March 30, where members are expected to consider disciplinary action against Library Director Luanne James.
The board had been working with an attorney from the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ), but in an email to board members, Chair Cody York said ACLJ will not represent the board on employment matters.
“Employment law is outside the agreement that we have with ACLJ and is not their specialty. I am working to have a private employment attorney that also has experience with 1st amendment issues present for the meeting,” York wrote.
That leaves the board seeking separate legal counsel as it prepares for the March 30 meeting, where an attorney is expected to advise members in executive session before any potential action is taken.
York has contacted Brentwood attorney Larry Crain, who has offered to represent the board. A proposed agreement includes a $3,000 nonrefundable fee and a $400 hourly rate to advise on what is described as a “pending employment-related matter.”
Emails show Crain is expected to meet with the board during the March 30 session.
Board members previously voted in February to request $30,000 for legal fees, though that funding has not yet been approved.
Internal emails also show some board members have raised concerns about legal risk as the situation escalates.
“Our choices on 3/30 will have profound effects on our library system, our county, and our personal wealth,” board member Allison Belt wrote, urging the board to seek specialized counsel.
She also noted the library system’s insurance may not cover damages if the board is found to have violated the law.
The dispute stems from the board’s recent vote to move more than 100 books — many with LGBTQIA+ themes — from the children’s section to the adult section. James has refused to carry out that directive.
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