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A Brother’s Stand for a Flooded Community and Its Libraries
After a flood and looming library closures, Lewis Moten traveled to speak for his sister’s community, exposing how a lack of transparency fuels fear. What followed was a rare moment of civic pressure that forced trustees to publicly keep libraries open. Read More
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The Lighthouse in the Storm: Civic Pride and the Library’s Future
I shared a personal reflection on civic pride, referencing Jeff Siegler’s “Hard to Love.” I spoke on how prioritizing finance over value has harmed our community and choked up while addressing the painful human cost of the library’s political storm. Read More
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Transparency Under Fire: Addressing Manipulated Records and Blocked Access
I challenged the Board on unethical social media practices, including the deletion of public comments and blocking of citizens. I also successfully advocated for removing outdated, inconsistent library financial data from the County’s Comprehensive Plan to ensure all nonprofits are treated equally. Read More
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Agenda Hacking: Challenging the Public Comment “Timeout”
I strategically used the Board’s own agenda rules to challenge a restrictive public comment policy that pushes non-agenda topics to the end of the night. Beyond procedural fairness, I called for mandatory ethics training to address the risk of unauthorized recordings. Read More
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12¢ vs. $1.20: Exposing the Broadband Pricing Gap
I stood before the Board to challenge the “glaring holes” in rural broadband coverage and pricing. Drawing parallels to the 1936 Rural Electrification Act, I exposed how proposed low-tier speeds fail to meet modern FCC broadband standards. Read More
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The Digital Divide and 1876 Newspapers: Bridging the Gap in Warren County
From coordinating with the Library of Virginia to digitize 19th-century newspapers to challenging the high costs of rural broadband, my February 4th testimony focused on ensuring Warren County stays connected—both to its rich history and to the modern world. Read More
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The Power of the Report: When Data Outshines the “PhD”
Speaking near midnight at a marathon public hearing, I went off-script to challenge a flawed county report. Using rigorous data analysis, I exposed “cherry-picked” findings, earning public praise from community leaders for providing the transparency the official report lacked. Read More
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More Than a “Bag of Rocks”: Resilience, Data, and the Library’s Future
Returning for the second library forum, I shared the “human” side of my journey—from overcoming childhood learning disabilities to managing high-level government contracts. I addressed the “bag of rocks” comments with a record of service, philanthropy, and technical expertise. Read More
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Patterns and Pages: Introducing Myself to the Samuels Community
In December 2024, I stood before the community to introduce myself as a new Library Trustee. I shared my background in IT and data analysis—though my nerves got the best of me when I accidentally said I joined in 2013! Read More
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The October Joint Meeting: Observations from the Front Lines
On October 29, 2024, I was invited to the table for a joint meeting between the Nonprofit Library Trustees and County Supervisors. This clipped record captures my direct dialogue on funding, accountability, and the complexities of the library’s private nonprofit status. Read More