The Board of Selectmen says it must approve the lease agreement recently agreed upon by the School Department and the Boys & Girls Club for the use of classrooms in the former Hammond Elementary School in Onset.

"The school board has no authority, as far as I know, to lease this building without the approval of the Board of Selectmen," said Selectman Steve Holmes.

The School Committee approved the lease at its April 10 meeting.

Town Attorney Richard Bowen reviewed the lease agreement before it went to the School Committee, and said that he advised the Boys & Girls Club that that the document must be set up to be signed by the Board of Selectmen.

"I haven't seen any final version" of the lease, said Bowen.

The Selectmen on Tuesday agreed to discuss the issue with members of the School Committee and revisit it in the coming weeks.

Under the lease agreement the School Committee approved, the Club would 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.

After ten years, the lease agreement would have to go before Town Meeting voters. That stipulation is not included in the current lease agreement. At Town Meeting, the measure would need a two-thirds vote in order to facilitate a change of "custodian" according to Bowen.

The rent was calculated based on how much the School Department pays for utilities at the building, divided by the number of square feet the Club is renting. It will generate an estimated $4,000 per year, which would be put into an account used to maintain Hammond and its grounds.

Selectman Patrick Tropeano expressed concern about the account: "Basically, what you have here is a built-in revolving fund" that hasn't been approved by Town Meeting.

The School Committee had previously requested that the town take over the building, but according to Town Administrator Derek Sullivan, Superintendent Dr. Barry Rabinovitch recently rescinded that request.

Noting that a number of people have made comments to the effect that when it comes to the Boys and Girls Club, it's not about the money, Holmes disagreed, saying: "In these economic times, it is about the money."

Hammond Elementary 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.