Regarding whether you should contact the former IT director: to put it in two words: Of course. You will spend eight hours every day at that place, you want t

Regarding whether you should contact the former IT director: to put it in two words: Of course. You will spend eight hours every day at that place, you want to gather as much information as you can. Naturally you have to filter/sort/disregard, but that is the next step.