Waltham High School Search: Update

WALTHAM, MA — What is to be done about the high school? That was the topic of the bulk of a joint meeting between the School Committee and the City Council Tuesday night. The meeting started at 7 p.m. and it looked set to be a long meeting, though earlier in the day the Superintendent said he was optimistic about the outcome of the informational meeting.

"I'm hopeful that the decision-makers in the city (Waltham City Council, Waltham School Committee, and Mayor) will engage in two-way dialogue that will help move our project forward. I'm also hopeful that we can deepen all stakeholders knowledge and understanding of some key points (i.e. ramification of construction on current site, Pre-K-12 enrollment concerns, needs for new CVTE programs) and how these issues are wrapped up in the decisions we make relative to the location for a new WHS," said Superintendent Drew Echleson in an email to Patch.

The mayor took the podium at the end of the hours long discussion to congratulate participants. "I'm proud of them, every single one," she said.

The two boards met with the aim of clearing up concerns and have a chance to answer burning questions. They went over a brief analysis of potential sites and how they stack up to the current and future needs of the high school and the district. One school committee member read a speech pleading for the two boards known to be at odds about the future of the project, to come together. He cited city charter that indicated that both boards and the mayor had to agree on next steps.

Then city councilors took turns asking questions to the city solicitor, the superintendent and consultants. Most of the beginning of the evening conversation focused around expanding the high school in place vs taking the Stigmatine property or looking at a way to use the Fernald Property. Questions spanned tax issues, legal issues, and disruption to teaching.

The current location is overflowing and complicated and won't work going forward, say School Committee representatives. The Fernald property and the property owned by the Stigmatine Fathers and Brothers both looked promising but now the Fernald is out and the Stigmatine property is surrounded by controversy. There have been a number of other options put forward and rejected in the course of the process.

The school department wants to put a new school on land owned by the Stigmatine Fathers and Brothers, but Stigmatine representatives have said repeatedly they don't want to sell. Some Council members voted to not take the land by eminent domain. In December the mayor said it was time to give up on the Stigmatine site and begin looking for other sites that will feasibly accommodate future expansion and a growing student body.

Councillor Logan said he thought regardless of whether they ultimately decided to build a high school on the Fernald property or not, the city should invest in having someone come evaluate the land thoroughly to see what was actually there in terms of environmental issues and hazards, because at some point the city would have to clean it up regardless. But in the process, he said the city councillors found out that it's still possible to use the land.

"[The CPA] indicated because the city has not yet filed the documents for registry of the deeds in land court outlining what portion was purchased with community preservation act funds and city funds that there’s basically not something filing something different from what we intended. Which means you can take that 50 acres and move it around anywhere on that site. And that’s a fact. We need to get more info before we rule it out," said Logan. His point was later cleared up by the person who asked the CPA the question that lead to that answer. She said the city couldn't mix and match but it would be able to move a line where one side could have 50 acres for city use and 140 acres on the other side for preservation land use.

Other once considered sites: Chesterbrook Woods, Veterans Field, Gann Academy, Bentley University, Leary Field, Met State lawns, the University of Massachusetts Field Station, the Cedar Hill Girl Scout Camp and Storer Estate conservation land.

"I'm hopeful that through this dialogue and engagement that we will be in a better position tomorrow than we are in today. I hope we can build off new found collaboration to benefit all of our students and the citizens of our city and to deliver to them what we have promised: a world class educational facility that meets the master needs of the school department and City. I believe in our city leaders and I'm optimistic that all 15 city councillors and all 6 School Committee Members are interested in working together to move toward solutions," said Echleson. "I hope we pivot in that direction."

• What: Joint School Committee, City Council Meeting on the High School
• When: Jan. 30, at 7 p.m.
• Where: at the Cannon Lecture Hall at Waltham High School.
• Watch it stream live here: http://bit.ly/2kt4q5o

A slide from the meeting.

Previously on Patch:

Waltham Mayor Lays Out Case For Stigmatine, Accuses

With Stigmatine Out, Waltham School Committee Eyes Fernald

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