Several Island school employees have been punished for improper use of a school vehicle, using an off-Island school van to drive to a wedding on the Cape.

They were caught red-handed by Jeffrey (Skipper) Manter, a frugally-minded Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School committee member and West Tisbury police officer.

The wedding took place somewhere on the Cape one Saturday in August. Both Mr. Manter and schools superintendent James H. Weiss declined to be more specific. Mr. Manter, who also happened to attend the same wedding, saw three school employees, and two others, arrive at the wedding in the van.

“The three school employees were caught using a school vehicle for a non-school function; they did not receive permission and would not have received it,” said Mr. Weiss yesterday.

Mr. Weiss said he was telephoned by Mr. Manter the following Tuesday. The superintendent took disciplinary action against one teacher and two others who work for the school but are not part of the teachers association. He would not reveal names. Two of the men, he said, brought their wives.

As punishment Mr. Weiss sent letters of reprimand to the employees and demanded that they pay a restitution approximate to the cost of renting a vehicle to take them to the wedding.

Mr. Manter is not satisfied.

“It’s a serious violation when you commit public property to private use,” said Mr. Manter yesterday.

“He felt there should have been a more significant punishment,” said Mr. Weiss. “I think it was the appropriate consequence.”

Regularly a lone anti-spending voice on the committee Mr. Manter spoke against funding an extra two vehicles for off-Island use from of the excess and deficiency fund in June. Mr. Manter questioned the whether it was necessary to double the number of off-Island vehicles.

Though the spending was ultimately approved, the van was not one of the two new hybrid vehicles for which funding was secured. Those vehicles have not yet been bought.

Mr. Weiss added that he has introduced an official policy for using the vehicles.

“Mr. Manter thinks it’s a question of right and wrong and I say I agree with you but it helps to have a policy laid out,” he said.

The issue played out the school year’s first high school committee meeting.

It was Stephen Nixon’s first high school committee meeting as principal, in the year of the 50th graduating class at the high school.

“It was a good first meeting,” said Mr. Weiss.