Sea Isle City — Sea Isle school board President Valere Egnasko would like to make it clear that the school district is not currently selling the school building.

After a brief quiet spell in the sometimes volatile school district, things got stirred up again recently when board vice president and Finance Committee chair Dan Tumolo discussed the possibility of doing exactly that with local builder Joseph Freda.

It was, Egnasko said, part of the process of gathering information on all options for the building, and not an attempt by the school board or any of its members to sell the school out from under its students.

The sale is not, Tumolo said last week, a possibility he is ready to dismiss.

Tumolo said his inquiry was regarding a possible selling and then leasing back of the school building and its surrounding property, by the school board.

The school currently educates about 60 students in preschool through fourth grade. Since sending fifth to eighth graders to Ocean City Intermediate School, the school board has been talking about finding ways to make the underutilized school building more community accessible and financially efficient to operate. To date, most options suggested, including renting out space to the city, community groups or outside businesses, have been dismissed because of regulations on how the school can or can not be used while classes are in session.

Tumolo’s inquiry, Egnasko said, was just another step in the process of making sure school board members have information on all options, when the board meets Sept. 30 to discuss facilities and before board members vote on any option.

The school board had scheduled a special meeting for Sept. 15, to discuss the building and its uses, but that meeting was cancelled without explanation. Egnasko said Tuesday the meeting would now be 6 p.m. on Sept. 30.

When asked about his discussions with Freda, Tumolo said the sale and leasing back of the school is something the school board needs to seriously consider, with revenue raised by the sale being set aside for future tax relief, to offset what he said are inevitable tuition increases from Ocean City.

Egnasko said the public and city council members were overreacting to Tumolo’s actions.

“Dan is looking at the sale-lease arrangement. We will expand on that option, and all other options, at the meeting,” Egnasko said last week. “Most people, most of the board, doesn’t even know what a sale-lease is. His questions will provide information we need.”

Egnasko did not say why Tumolo, rather than board member Terrence Libro, who chairs the board’s Facility Committee, was investigating options.

Should the school be forced to close, due to shrinking enrollment, and the building cease to operate as a school, ownership of the building and land would revert to the city.

“We’re going to sell it before that happens,” Tumolo said last Wednesday, when asked about the future of the building. He said any deed restrictions on possible sale are being researched to that end.

When told of Tumolo’s statements, Egnasko said Tumolo was speaking for himself, and not for the school board as a whole. She added that some people in Sea Isle City were taking a very narrow view of the matter, “and missing the point,” which Egnasko said was for the school board to find a way to run the school in the most economical way possible.

“It’s like sending our older students to Ocean City,” Egnasko said. “I believe that if we have the right plan, people will support it.”

Several members of the public addressing the board at its meeting Tuesday night were unconvinced.

Parent Ron Bretzky said Tumolo’s contacting of a local builder about selling the school “was called underhanded by the council president.”

Board solicitor Mark Toscano cut Bretzky’s tirade off, cautioning him that his statements could be considered slander.

Bretzky continued, albeit more cautiously, saying Tumolo’s actions were questionable at best and, in his opinion, bordered on misconduct. Citing specific regulations, Bretzky said he was considering filing an ethics complaint against Tumolo. He said Tumolo and Egnasko both have close ties to SICTA, the city’s taxpayer association, and that their actions appear to be more focused on taxpayer concerns than what is best for students. “I argue that, because of their past and present connection to SICTA, their independent judgment is impaired,” Bretzky said.

Egnasko told Bretzky that Tumolo’s actions were only fact-finding, adding, “from your statements, I am sure you are aware of the procedures, so if you feel there has been an ethics violation, feel free to proceed with that.”

Parent Andy Ferrelli said Tumolo acted without board authorization. The school board would have had to discuss and vote on any motion directing Tumolo to begin his fact-finding actions in a public meeting, Ferrelli explained, “and that didn’t happen.”

Egnasko said she has invited city council members to hold a joint meeting with the school board on use of the school, but when a council member or members insisted on including subjects beyond the building and its uses, the joint meeting fell apart.

“If council has any questions, can we ask them to address them to the school board, and not the Atlantic City Press,” board member Jack Birkmeier asked with a sarcastic note, referring to Councilman Frank Edwardi Jr. taking his concerns about the possible sell-lease to a newspaper two weeks ago, rather than to the school board.

Egnasko said “any work product” of the meeting would be sent to council following the meeting, “to help answer any questions they have.”

The facilities meeting will be held in the school gym at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 30. It is open to the public and will include a session for public comment. No board action will be taken at that meeting.