To the editor:

This is to formally communicate my strong disagreement with the Mehlville Board of Education’s decision to award Superintendent Terry Noble an annual $44,088 increase in his salary plus the cost of his salary-related fringe benefits.

What financial needs of the children you serve will not be funded because you gave $150,000 to $165,000 to Terry?

Taking into consideration the financial crises that your district as well as most other public school districts in Missouri and the entire country are facing, as the custodians of the citizens’ funding to your school district you should be reducing the cost of management. You have communicated to your various constituents: taxpayers, parents, your other employees including teachers that the “good-old-boy” network is still in place in Mehlville.

How is this going to play when you go to the voters for your next proposed tax increase?

Your entire board should note the success of the “reform” of the Board of Directors of the Mehlville Fire Protection District rather than spending money you don’t have.

I wish you the best of luck in dealing with your decision in the coming years.

Dennis B. Mertz

Oakville