Union representatives and residents urged the Board of Mayor and Aldermen to require local hiring and community benefits on the Cemetery Brook sewer/tunnel project, describing the work as dangerous and appropriate for unionized, locally trained labor.

Larry Moequin, business manager for Laborers Local 668, told aldermen the project is the city’s largest infrastructure undertaking and urged a community benefits agreement so taxpayers’ money flows back into Manchester. “We are concerned that Manchester residents will not be on this project building it,” Moequin said, asking that city residents be prioritized and that apprenticeships and trainee opportunities be created for people experiencing homelessness and Manchester high‑school students.

Speakers described safety training and local training centers that could supply qualified tunnel workers; another commenter said a contractor who negotiated a verbal price later sought to lower subcontractor bids by 40 percent, raising concerns that cost savings would flow to out‑of‑state firms rather than local workers.

Aldermen expressed interest in stronger oversight. Several asked staff to examine contract language, explore community benefits agreements and ensure general contractor obligations and subcontractor selections support local hiring and safety standards. Alderman Long and others said the city should guard against general contractors low‑balling subs after winning awards.

Staff and aldermen agreed to investigate contractor selection processes and return with additional information about the project’s procurement, subcontracting and options to encourage local hiring and training.