Local residents are alleging the Salado Public Library District is in violation of both Texas law and district policies. These concerns were sent to the library district in a letter from Remnant Law, the firm representing the residents.
According to the letter, in September 2025, the district failed to comply with the amended notice requirements in the Texas Open Meetings Act, which requires three business days’ notice before a governmental body may hold a meeting.
Despite the new rule, the library district allegedly continued using the outdated 72-hour rule, which only requires meeting notices to be posted based on the scheduled meeting time—even when that window falls over a weekend or holiday. Because of this, all meetings from September 22, 2025 through April 20, 2026 were not posted in accordance with state law.
Amid these meetings, the district’s library director informed local activist Stephen Sequeira through an email that “the Board of Trustees of Salado Public Library has directed that all future communications between you and the library should be conducted through your legal counsel and the library’s legal counsel.”
This action, allegedly taken in response to Sequeira questioning board violations, is described in the letter as a “blanket prohibition on communication with the elected officials, issued without any public vote, policy basis, or lawful authority.”
During this same time, the district’s official Facebook page blocked the Protect Salado Kids page, which is operated by Sequeira. Remnant Law argues that this action “appears to have been based solely on disagreement with PSK’s advocacy.”
The letter also states that during the board’s February 23, 2026 meeting, Allison Dolin—a local citizen—was prevented from speaking and removed from the meeting while attempting to appeal a reconsideration decision regarding a book.
Remnant Law argues that these actions by the library district violate the Texas Open Meetings Act, the First Amendment, the Texas Constitution, and district policies.
“Transparency is not a courtesy; it is the law,” said Remnant Law President Jonathan Hullihan. “Every citizen has the right to notice of public meetings, the right to speak to those who govern them, and the right to be heard without retaliation. When a public body closes its doors or silences its critics, it breaks faith with the people it serves and betrays the very consent on which its authority rests. We intend to see that the public’s God-given rights are protected at every level of government.”
The firm is demanding that, within 14 days of the receiving the letter, the district cease enforcing actions approved during meetings that were not properly noticed, rescind the directive restricting citizen communication with elected officials, unblock the Salado for Kids Facebook page, affirm compliance with district and constitutional requirements regarding public participation and due process, and confirm adoption of protocols ensuring three business days’ notice for all meetings.
The letter was sent May 29, and the 14-day deadline expires on June 12.
The Salado Public Library District told Texas Scorecard that the board has not yet had a chance to meet with the library district board’s attorney to discuss the allegations in the letter and therefore has no comment at this time.
