The parking situation at the West Tisbury School is unsafe for children and staff, the chairman of the up-Island regional school district committee said this week

“It is an accident waiting to happen, and it is a bad accident waiting to happen,” Kate DeVane told the selectmen at their meeting Wednesday. “The biggest problem is that the school has outgrown the parking lot.”

There are 342 students enrolled at the school this year.

School committee members attended the selectmen’s meeting to discuss redesigning the parking lots, and who would foot the bill.

“We are hoping that the parks and rec department, who uses it a little bit, and the town, who uses it a little bit, will join with us so that this isn’t something that the school committee is completely shouldering the cost of,” Ms. DeVane said.

West Tisbury already pays for much of the school district budget. In fiscal year 2019, the town will be responsible for $7.68 million of the $11.76 million budget. But Ms. DeVane said it might make sense for the town to contribute more funds for the parking lot project since the town uses the facility. She added that the town probably would want to have input on the redesign.

The school currently has two main parking lots. One is connected to the campus through several crosswalks. There is no clear walkway from the second lot. Ms. DeVane said buses circulating around the tight space coupled with handicap spaces located too far from the building and lack of a clear walkway from one parking area make for a dangerous combination.

The town uses the parking lot occasionally, during town meetings, for example. The public also uses the lot for access to the tennis court, basketball court and sports fields.

Selectmen said more research was necessary to determine exactly what percentage of the use is the town’s.

“It’s quantifiable,” said selectman Cynthia Mitchell. “I think it should be essentially your project, but I think we need to have input into it in some minimal way and some approval because we’re the owners of the building.”

“And I think in that same vein you should pay for part of it,” Ms. DeVane said.

There is no formal plan yet for improving the parking lots.

In other business, selectmen postponed a hearing on taxi rates and regulations because no one who runs a taxi business was present. The hearing was rescheduled for March 21 at 4:30 p.m.

Town administrator Jennifer Rand updated selectmen on the old fire house on Old Courthouse Road. The town wants to use the lot for affordable housing, which will require removal of the structure. The building once housed the town hall, and some want to see it preserved. The land use subcommittee of the Martha’s Vineyard Commission has approved the removal of the building as long as the town attempts to have it moved first. The full commission is expected to make a final decision on March 15.

Selectmen agreed to discuss the marijuana host community agreement with town counsel Ron Rappaport at their meeting on March 28.

They also authorized the town animal control officer to hire another assistant.

And they read a letter from Massachusetts Opioid Litigation Attorneys asking if the town is interested in joining a case suing pharmaceutical companies for costs incurred from opioid addiction.

Selectmen Kent Healy and Skipper Manter initially said they didn’t want to discuss the issue with an attorney, but Mrs. Mitchell felt differently. She told Ms. Rand to invite attorneys to consult with them at a later meeting.