The Boys & Girls Club of Wareham will be getting new digs come mid-May, after the School Committee on Wednesday agreed to lease a portion of Hammond Elementary to the Club.

The Club will pay $991 per month, which includes utilities, to rent four classrooms, the auditorium, the "upper auditorium area," the gym, and an art room at the school, for a total of 7,821 square feet.

The lease is for 10 years, and was approved by two affirmative votes and one in the negative. School Committee member Kenneth Fontes abstained from voting on and from discussion about the lease because he is the director of the Boys & Girls Club of Wareham. School Committee member Cliff Sylvia was absent.

School Committee member Geoff Swett, who voted in the negative, was concerned about the process by which the lease was drawn up. The rent was based on how much the School Department pays for utilities at the building, divided by the number of square feet the Club is renting.

"I'm very pleased that we have found a tenant that is going to be able to effectively use the space. ... I'm just uncomfortable that we're valuing the space at zero," Swett explained.

Superintendent Dr. Barry Rabinovitch stressed: "In looking at the space and potential lessees, it became evident that if we went with fair-market value, we would have an empty building," he said.

Director of Student Services Bob Louzon explained that the arrangement should bring in approximately $4,000 per year, which would be put into an account to be used specifically for the Hammond building and grounds.

Newly-appointed Chair Rhonda Veugen confirmed with Rabinovitch: "This has been vetted through town departments, including the town administrator?"

Rabinovitch responded: "Absolutely."

The superintendent noted that town attorney Rich Bowen drew up the lease.

The price is cost-neutral for the Club, Fontes said after the meeting.

The Club's current lease of its Viking Drive building is $1 for 100 years, but it pays all of the utilites. That building is operated by the town, and is approximately 4,000 square feet.

The move will allow the Club to expand its programming.

"The major advantage there is we will have access to four classrooms," Fontes noted, compared to the Club's one classroom currently. "We'll be able to offer more."

Fontes is also excited about the access to a full playground and the fact that the building is walking distance to the beach.

Hammond Elementary in Onset closed this school year, when school budget cuts prompted administrators to consolidate classrooms into Minot Forest Elementary and what is now known as the East Wareham Early Childhood Center.