When Waltham residents go to the polls on Nov. 7, they will be facing a large slate of candidates vying for seats on the City Council. Throughout October, we will run candidate's answers to a question of high local interest, including how to move forward on building a new high school, how to make Waltham more friendly to business and how to help seniors stay in a city that is becoming too expensive for them. Candidates were asked to keep their responses to 50 words.

Question 1: The mayor and School Department are advocating for the Stigmatine site for a new high school and the City Council is not supportive of that option. What is your recommendation for breaking the stalemate and moving forward on this issue?

Councillors at large

Patrick O’Brien Over the past 15 years, we replaced schools built in 1912, 1887, 1931, 1927 and 1922. This model for success can and should be replicated. I’ve voted to fund 14 school budgets, my mother is a retired 22-year Waltham teacher and I graduated from WHS. Together, we will build a first-class high school.

Clarence Richardson Jr. I agree the Stigmatine's [property] is the best site. I would invite the mayor, superintendent, and school officials to address the Council and encourage open communication. I would also authorize the mayor to negotiate a higher and fairer price, and support accommodating the Stigmatines on part of the property, if possible.

Randy LeBlanc My position on the location of the high school is to work closely with the school building committee, who have the most knowledge to select the best site for what our children need for their future. I will advocate for more joint meetings ASAP.

Carlos Vidal I’m for the purchase of the Stigmatine property as long as we don’t use eminent domain. It has to be a friendly purchase between both parties. Since this property is not for sale, we should stick to the original plan, which is building at the current site.

Diane LeBlanc A decision that divides our community, puts our youth against our older citizens, and raises serious constitutional issues, is not a good decision. I sincerely hope the School Committee moves forward to select a site that is property we own or can acquire by friendly means – not a hostile taking.

Kathleen McMenimen A hostile, eminent domain taking of the Stigmatine [property] will not have my support. Should an authorizing vote of the City Council occur to allow an additional $7.5 million dollars to match the appraisal that the landowners have received, I will support that vote.

Thomas Stanley The property is not for sale. I don’t believe in taking private property for public use when another option is available. The effort has divided our community and further delayed the elimination of substandard school facilities. Move forward with the only viable option left at the current high school location.

Pamela Perini Eight councilors against and seven for the Stigmatines site. No Councilor should put their religion before the city business. Remove that councilor from the process immediately. It is only fair. I support the School Building Committee to build at the Stigs.

Richard Hynes No contact information available.

Paul Brasco I believe a majority of the Council favors the placement of a high school at the Stigmatine property. However, the majority of the Council also rejects the eminent domain taking of personal property. I want to see the city work in a collaborative effort to address a friendly taking for the future.

William Doyle The Mayor and City Council need to enter executive session, with a mediator if necessary, to develop a strategy that will provide the mayor with funds to purchase the property and give her authority with conditions on how the allocated money is to be used.

Ward 1

Daniel Romard Unfortunately, the message from the Stigmatines remains: "The property at 554 Lexington St. is not for sale, in whole or in part, for any amount of money. We wish to continue to conduct our ministry without interference from the city." Therefore, I recommend we move forward with the Fernald site.

Daniel Keleher The City Council should hold full public hearings to consider whether an overwhelming need for the Stigmatine property for the high school justifies an eminent domain taking to prevent losing it to commercial development.They should also accommodate the continued use of the property by the Stigmatines if possible.

Ward 2

William Fowler The stalemate will only be broken when everyone gets together in one room and everyone gets to talk freely. The school superintendent has not once been able to speak to the council and explain why this site is the preference of the School Building Committee and the School Committee.

John R. Saxe Jr. 554 Lexington St. is the right site for the high school. The city can acquire enough of the property needed for the campus by resurrecting eminent domain and then going to the Stigmatines to offer to negotiate a mutually acceptable agreement, using eminent domain as leverage to encourage resuming negotiations.

Ward 3

George Darcy III The City Council leadership should not have ruled the mayor’s request for $7 million appropriation out of order. There was no mention of eminent domain in her request. It’s disheartening that we cannot compete against real estate companies salivating to obtain the 46-acre Stigmatines. Who represents our 5,500-plus school children?

Mark Bagdasarian Father Baldessari in Rome has said that the 30 acres of land which are not being used by the Stigmatine Fathers could be sold to the city. I am in favor of respecting Father Baldessari’s wishes and investigating the feasibility of purchasing the 30 available acres.

Ward 4

John McLaughlin I have supported all of the recommendations of both the School Committee and School Building Committee. Their hard work needs to be recognized and acted upon. We cannot jeopardize the millions of dollars in state funding that is available to us for this project. We need to act now

Kelly Marie Damm The recommendation of the School Committee and School Building Committee was reached after enormous effort to evaluate any sites that might reasonably accommodate their thoughtful and visionary plan. I support their recommendation and will work toward building consensus and momentum to acquire the Stigmatine property, preferably through purchase.

Ward 5

Christina Montgomery I believe that this breakdown can be healed with the addition of independent voices on the Council, bringing cooler heads to prevail, and restoring respect to the process. My experience as a mediator and lawyer informs my view that we can get to a mutually agreeable resolution.

Joseph LaCava Lack of education on the issue is what is wrong, not a stalemate. There has been great work done by the [School Building Committee] and [School Committee]; some is lost in presentation. We need everyone to understand the entire picture before we are able to move forward and achieve a new Waltham High School.

Ward 6

Robert Waddick No response provided.

Ward 7

Joseph Giordano Jr. We need to move forward by understanding the Stigmatine [property] is not for sale. We have other locations in Waltham to build the high school. The sooner the School Committee moves on this the better we will be, because if we wait we will lose state funding.

Kristine Ann Mackin I am convinced the Stigmatine site is the best possible location, and all parties must come together and put the interest of Waltham's students first. I believe if councilors become more active participants, including reach out to the School Committee, we could build a common foundation to re-open negotiations.

Ward 8

John Qualters The Stigmatine’s property is the best site for a new high school as it fits the educational plan that has been developed for the future. I suggest we open the floor through a joint meeting with all parties and remove the politics on this key issue. A first class high school benefits all residents of Waltham.

Cathyann Harris I would recommend an expedited conversation to find common ground, make the next proposal timely, seek to understand the barriers of the site being proposed and if the barriers can be overcome through compromise. A new high school is vital to Waltham's future and everyone is invested in Waltham's future.

Ward 9

Robert Logan The City Council supported purchasing [the] Stigmatine [property] by giving the mayor $18 million and authorization to negotiate. Unfortunately, those negotiations failed and Stigmatines now say [their] property is not for sale at any price. The Council will work with the mayor and School Committee going forward on the remaining site options.

Consuelo Valdes Stigmatine [property] is the best option we have. The city has no decent alternatives but the council has refused to move forward with the purchase. Unfortunately, political pressure seems to be the solution here. Concerned residents should call their councillors and vote with this issue in mind on Nov 7.