LAFAYETTE PARISH — During a recent board meeting at AOC, Lafayette’s community media center, volunteers expressed concerns about the center’s finances and staff changes as they learned more about a lawsuit filed against one of their own.
Richard Phelps, a longtime volunteer, raised a question that has been circulating among their community: "I just learned of a lawsuit filed by AOC Inc. against one of the producers, Jacob White, and I have questions on if that involves public money."
Court documents obtained by KATC revealed that AOC Community Media filed the lawsuit against Jacob White in December of 2023. The suit accuses White of "intentional trespassing" on AOC property and "harassment of employees." White, who had worked at AOC since 2007, claimed he was terminated in July after speaking out during a board meeting, "We are now staffed at critically low levels," White said. "After 14 months with the new executive director, I approached the board and said that this situation is not being handled properly. Our executive director hasn’t met with the people we interact with and has purposely distanced himself."
Michael Messerly, AOC's executive director, responded to concerns about funding and staffing at the meeting. "We are running in a deficit," he said. "I have no problem hiring people, but I also have no problem letting people go if the funding isn’t there. While I haven’t had to lay anyone off, I also haven’t filled positions that have been vacated."
Volunteers at the meeting voiced their support for White, many questioning the allocation of funds for the ongoing lawsuit. One volunteer asked for transparency regarding how much of the center’s dwindling budget was being used for legal expenses. A board member responded that the requested financial details would be provided at a later date.
With many staff positions left unfilled and a lawsuit looming, questions about the center’s ability to maintain its services are growing.
