Look up the phrase &#8221feud“ in the dictionary and you may find a reference to Kentucky's infamous Hatfield and McCoys feud.

Just below that reference you might find a note about the Lloyd Lovers and the Lloyd Haters - as in Lloyd Evans.

The long-time superintendent of the Rock Hill School District continues to be a Teflon-coated lightning rod of controversy.

The pros and cons have been battling over Lloyd Evans for more than two decades.

The latest battle, however, began nearly two years ago when a lame-duck school board voted to extend Evans' contract before the board changed over.

Their unspoken goal seemed to be to give Evans' contract life beyond the new school board's first term. The goal being to keep Evans around until, perhaps, a more pro-Evans board could be elected.

So was it a sly, political move or just an innocent effort to reward a man the board members felt had done a good job?

That, of course, depends upon whom you ask. And with that, the legal battles began.

Evans sued the district.

He eventually won.

The board appealed the lawsuit.

The appeal was sent back to the lower, county court late last month.

The whole issue makes us think of our favorite Yogi Berra-ism.

&#8221It's like d\u00E9j&192; vu all over again.“

Unfortunately, all of the bickering isn't a laughing matter. It's costing the taxpayers a fortune - at least we think it is. The school board has, in the past, been a little cagey on exactly what the attorneys charge.

We still believe some kind of compromise is in order.

Both school boards - the lame duck one that extended Evans' contract and the new board who wants him out - are representatives of the people. Each school board member was elected by the people, for the people.

So in our minds, each represents the will of the people. The newest should supersede the previous.

If the school board wants Evans gone, so be it. If a judge says the board then owes Evans for the remainder of his contract, so be it, too.

At some point the costs of continuing to fight the legal battles will be more prohibitive than the amount that may be required to simply buy out Evans' contract.

If we haven't already passed the point of diminishing returns, we'll be there soon.

The point of diminishing logic has long since passed in this feud. It is time to get it settled and put it behind us.