College courses may be coming to Onset, but not before the School Committee has a chance to weigh in on a potential lease of the Ethel E. Hammond School.

The Board of Selectmen on Tuesday put off a vote on a lease agreement between the town and the Community and Economic Development Authority (CEDA) that would allow CEDA to recruit colleges to offer courses and certificate programs in the former elementary school.

"The School Committee has not had an opportunity to vote," said CEDA Director Salvador Pina, suggesting that he board hold off on voting until the committee is able to do so.

CEDA would be renting the space from the School Department, but the agreement must have the approval of the Selectmen as well.

In total, the lease would be for five classrooms, two or three conference spaces, and what was once the school cafeteria. Pina hopes to have colleges in the school by September.

The Boys & Girls Club is also looking to lease space in the building, but the space Pina is hoping to lease would be at the front end of the school, while the Club would take the back half of the school.

Pina is hoping that Cape Cod Community College will offer classes, and is also in talks with the Upper Cape Cod Regional Technical School.

According to Town Attorney Richard Bowen, CEDA would become a "sub landlord" to Cape Cod Community College if a separate lease between it and the school is approved.  Bowen said the lease between CEDA and Cape Cod Community College would be subordinate to the lease between CEDA and the town.

Jennifer True, director of workforce development training at Cape Cod Community College, appeared before the board with Pina on July 16 to state the case for classes in Onset. At that time, she pointed out that just 3% of her school's students are from Wareham, and said she'd like to see that number go up.

Selectmen Steve Holmes expressed concern about a shortage of handicap parking in the area, and the cost of maintaining the aging structure.

"CEDA does not have the money to maintain that building," said Holmes, adding: "It ain't falling back on the town."

Bowen said that should maintenance become an issue, there's an easy solution: "If it becomes too costly for us to maintain the building," the town may terminate the lease.