Editorial: Are attorneys running Van Buren Public Schools?

It’s been suggested that the school district attorneys are running the Van Buren Public Schools. And, maybe they are.
The school board seems afraid to make any decision unless Collins & Blaha says it’s OK.
The legal fees from Collins & Blaha were $62,706.93 from July 2014 through March 2015. Nobody contests that.
Now, in this school year from July 2015 through March 2016, the fees were $166,238.14, a difference of $103,531.21.
Trustees Sherry Frazier calculates that $98,172.25 was paid additionally to them in April, making a total of $264,410.39 this school year.
Now the business office tells us that there was an entry that was given to Frazier twice so the total actually is $210,474. Whatever. The cost is still too much and the board majority is afraid to move without the OK of the attorneys. (Example: Four teachers still on leave.)
The attorneys now have overruled the Plante Moran and auditor’s opinions on the McBride paving. It looks like the district is putty in the hands of Collins & Blaha and the more legal opinions and closed-door sessions, the more tax money shelled out. Why bother to vote for a school board if the attorneys are running the show? This is the same firm that had the district refuse to honor an Independent FOIA when other local public bodies had easily complied to a similar request.