Daviess County Judge-Executive Charlie Castlen has rejected the first two nominees from the Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives (KDLA) to fill an unexpired term on the Daviess County Public Library Board. Meanwhile, Fiscal Court has unanimously reappointed current Board Secretary Kathi Mattas to a new term.
Two seats were set to open on September 13. Board President Susan Montalvo-Gesser’s term will expire that day, and she cannot be reappointed under current rules. Mattas — who was appointed in April 2024 to fill an unexpired term — was also set to see her term end.
Mattas was one of two nominees submitted by KDLA for her own seat, and Fiscal Court approved her reappointment on August 21.
For Montalvo-Gesser’s position, KDLA nominated Derek Cain and Catharine Schmitt. On August 27, Castlen sent a letter to KDLA declining both candidates.
Castlen said KDLA now has 30 days to submit two new names. If he rejects those as well, he can make his own nomination, which would still require Fiscal Court approval. Castlen noted that KDLA provides a copy of the nominees’ applications when forwarding names.
Library Director Erin Waller previously told Owensboro Times that the process can be lengthy. Applications are collected locally and sent to KDLA, where the state librarian selects two nominees. If both are rejected, KDLA submits two more. Only after a second rejection can the judge-executive nominate someone directly.
“There’s been a lot of confusion about how this works here,” Waller said earlier this year. “It’s changed in recent years, and the board itself no longer selects nominees. We just forward applications to KDLA.”
