This candidate petitioned to shutter Meridian libraries. Now he wants to be a trustee
A candidate running for election to the Meridian Library District’s board of trustees four months ago signed a petition calling for a vote to dissolve the district.
Xavier Torres is challenging incumbent trustee Destinie Hart for a six-year term on the five-member board, which oversees Meridian library spending and policies.
A group of Meridian residents in January called for a vote to dissolve the district over claims that minors can access material that depicts sex and LGBTQ+ relationships.
Torres was among the petitioners. He told the Idaho Statesman that he didn’t want to eliminate the library district altogether. Rather, he wanted to dissolve the district as a means to remove the current board members, he said.
“Since the current library board refused to move books that are inappropriate in the children and teen section, many felt re-establishing the library board through dissolution was the only solution,” he said by email. “Now, my solution is focused on running for office and getting elected on May 16th.”
What the petition to dissolve Meridian libraries said
The petition accused Meridian library trustees of refusing to “discuss any type of policy change regarding” minors’ “access to obscene and sexually explicit materials.” The petition asked the Ada County commissioners to hold a vote to dissolve the district, then appoint an interim board and reestablish the district.
Library trustees and the district’s director have rebutted claims that libraries are distributing obscene material and pointed to the district’s policy that allows concerned patrons to challenge books in the collection.
The Republican-controlled Ada County commission rejected the petition. Chairman Rod Beck said the board and petitioners should come to an amicable solution.
“I know that to dissolve the district would be overwhelmingly disruptive,” Beck said during a March commission meeting.
Torres, a sales and marketing specialist and father of three, said his goals are to ensure library materials and programs are “age appropriate,” and he hopes to “continue the good work of our Meridian library” while establishing higher standards on district finances and staffing.
“No one wants to dissolve our library, including me, but many asked me to run to promote conservative values within our community library,” he said.
Hart is facing her first election since being appointed to the board of trustees in August. A business owner, Hart said the district has a “solid collection policy” and “effective challenge process” for books in its collection.
“Censorship has no place in our public libraries,” she said in the Statesman’s voter guide. “Free access to information is foundational to a healthy democracy. It is a parent’s role to make decisions regarding their child’s access to library materials based on their own family values and parenting philosophy.”
Who can vote in library trustee elections?
Three Ada County library districts have trustee seats up for are hosting trustee election May 16.
Meridian has two open seats, the Kuna Library District has one vacant seat and Ada Community Libraries — referred to as the Ada County Free Library on the ballot — has a pair of vacancies.
Only people who live within the districts’ boundaries can vote for board candidates. To view a sample ballot based on your address, visit gisprod.adacounty.id.gov/apps/electionday/.
