SACO — The Saco School Board is holding off until next month on a decision whether to support efforts to research a proposal to study the feasibility of moving the school administration staff to City Hall.

An ad hoc committee made up of city and school administrators came up with a concept report regarding moving the school’s central office from 90 Beach St. to space in City Hall.

The report was discussed at a joint School Board and City Council workshop Monday night. The council voted that night to allow the superintendent of schools and the city administrator to move forward with a feasibility study. The School Board was scheduled to vote whether to endorse the feasibility study on Wednesday night, but voted to table the vote until its July meeting.

Councilor Eric Cote said Monday night that he’d vote in favor for the city to study the move, but at this point he didn’t think the move was a good idea. One concern he had was whether there would be enough parking for school administration staff at City Hall, especially considering a proposed apartment complex across the street.

“You’re going to have to do a lot to convince me that this makes sense,” he said.

School Board member Beth Johnston also had concerns about parking. She said the conference room at the school administration building is used every day, and wondered if there would be space for the School Department to have meetings if it moved to City Hall.

Johnston said the city had more pressing items it needed to address, and she wanted to know why the ad hoc committee thought it was so urgent to pursue the idea at this time.

“Honestly, I don’t think you’ll ever convince me that this is a good idea,” she said.

Superintendent of Schools Dominic DePatsy addressed the concerns of some who weren’t in favor, and said moving school administration staff to City Hall would give the department more room. He said he believed there would be enough parking at City Hall, and said that not all the staff would be at City Hall, as some would be in and out of schools. He said there are issues with the current school administration office, including lack of security and lack of private meeting space.

 “I like what I’m seeing here,” said School Board member Ted Sorois. He said if the school administrative offices moved to City Hall, efficiencies could be made such as sharing office equipment.

Councilor Alan Minthon said the proposed move would improve communication between the two offices.

“It’s a lot harder to go a mile than it is across the hall,” he said.

Councilor David Precourt said the school administration staff and the City Hall staff were all part of the same city, and he was in favor of the feasibility study.

“It’s just getting costly and we have to think of new ways of doing things,” he said.

On Wednesday night, prior to the School Board tabling further discussions on the proposed feasibility study until July, School Board Chairman Michel Ohayon said the board had pressing issues it needed to discuss that evening, and didn’t have time to discuss the proposed move of the school’s central office.

— Staff Writer Liz Gotthelf can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 325 or egotthelf@journaltribune.com.