Community Voices Concerns Over Alleged Harassment by Library Trustee
The atmosphere at the April 15 library board meeting was charged with tension as Virginia Larmore, a spokesperson for Indivisible Northern Nevada, addressed the board. Her call for accountability resonated with many attendees.
“It’s quite clear that many of us don’t see eye to eye on a lot of issues. That said, when I leave these meetings, I have the reasonable expectation that I can continue to live my life in relative peace,” Larmore articulated, underscoring her concerns about ongoing harassment.
Larmore’s comments were directed at a campaign allegedly led by library trustee Jacks against Justine Overacker. Overacker, a Washoe County resident, had previously criticized Jacks, prompting a series of demands for retraction from Jacks, which escalated from emails to physical mail. Read more about the campaign here.
William Puchert, another library supporter, shared similar experiences, claiming harassment from Jacks as well. “I cannot imagine leaving a library board meeting, and waking up the next morning to an email demanding that I retract something I said while using my First Amendment right to free speech,” Larmore passionately expressed. She emphasized the repetitive nature of these demands, stating it happened nine times.
Several community members supported Larmore’s statements, addressing the board about the investigation into these claims. Although Jacks attended the meeting, she did not respond to the allegations. Outgoing board chair Ann Silver claimed ignorance of the issue, stating, “There seems to be some understanding of something that happened. But, I don’t know that any of us are aware of it. I’m not. So I’m not sure I can address it.”
However, records show that Silver had been informed of the allegations before they became public. KUNR had reached out to her for comments on March 24, two days before the investigation was published, detailing Overacker and Puchert’s complaints. Despite this, Silver’s response did not address the allegations directly.
The process for addressing such complaints remains complex. A Washoe County spokesperson explained that while county employees can initiate an investigation into a board member’s conduct, this does not apply to the general public.
Library trustees, appointed by county commissioners, have their roles defined by state law. According to state regulations, the only grounds for dismissal are missing three consecutive meetings.
