SEA ISLE CITY — The board of education here, in a July 17 meeting, authorized the administration and solicitor to enter into negotiations with the city to lease the elementary school annex to be used by the recreation department.

According to district Business Administrator Earl Vassalo, the city had expressed interest in using the annex for recreation offices as well as the department’s Tot Time preschool program.

The annex was the home of the school’s library, but due to a consolidation of space, officials found room for the new library in an unused “flex room,” Vassalo said.

He explained that the room was the school’s original library when it was built in 1971.

School board members agreed to pay substitute teacher, Lisa Iannone, to help set up the new library space over the summer.

The small school district has been suffering from declining enrollment from 205 in 1995 to around 90 last year, when it was noted as having the highest per-student cost of education in the state at $33,805.

In January, then-Superintendent Warren Benedetto announced a cost-cutting plan to aid the ailing school district, which included reducing staff, combining classes and closing off the annex to the school.

At that time, the district had no plans for the space.

Acting municipal administrator Richard Deaney said the city and the district are just in the beginning stages of negotiations, but he expects the recreation department would move into the annex no later than Oct. 1.

“This is a move both the city and district support,” Deaney said.

He said Tot Time and the departmental offices were leaving their current home in the marina building on 42nd Place due to deteriorating conditions there.

City Council President Mike McHale agreed that the marina facility was in bad shape and the move to the annex would be a good one for both parties.

Contact Hart at (609) 886-8600 Ext 35 or at: jhart@cmcherald.com