Why involve ousted board member?

Just when you think you have heard it all, you read in the Sparta Independent that the County Superintendent of Schools, Rosalie “Lamonte said she suggested to Morton” (Superintendent of Schools) “that Jennifer Dericks” (past Board president who was ousted by the voters) “continue to sit in on budget meetings with the council to assist with the process, 'because of her knowledge of the budget.’” One must question why we need an ousted Board member with no business credentials to be working on a $53 million school budget when we pay the Business administrator approximately $180,000 and the superintendent of schools close to $240,000 per year. In addition, Ms. Dericks was overwhelmingly defeated in last week’s School Board election. The voters sent a clear mandate that they do not trust Ms. Dericks with our tax dollars, especially after her handling of last year’s budget and her outrageous negotiations for a lucrative Superintendent’s contract...while at the same time taking away busing from so many children and releasing 74 teachers from their jobs. Because of her overzealous push, Sparta is now saddled with an outlandish five-year contract for a superintendent who is not producing desired results for the children of Sparta. Is it common policy for the county superintendent to ignore the will of the voters? I am also very curious as to why Dr. Lamonte would even think of making such a recommendation. At whose behest did Dr. Lamonte become involved in this issue? It seems to me Dr. Lamonte clearly has no confidence in the ability of the remaining six board members and, even more appalling, she does not seem to have the confidence in our overpaid business administrator or in the superintendent of schools to do the job without Ms. Dericks. It is an insult to the citizens of Sparta and to the newly elected board members that Dr. Lamonte would suggest that the Sparta Board of Education cannot carry on without the help of the ousted board member. Melva A. Cummings Sparta