A public commenter who identified himself as Matt used the committee's public-comment period to report construction-related workforce and funding developments and to flag issues on a proposed rooftop solar lease.

Matt said the project’s apprenticeship-utilization rate is “around 20%,” which he described as about 5 percentage points above the project’s target. He thanked committee and city approvals that have allowed the project to move forward and said he has identified “7 issues with the proposed lease” for rooftop solar and has sent those concerns back to the solar company for review.

On site acquisition, Matt said the city is working with appraisers and others on two Brook Street lots at the rear of the high school needed for the track-and-field area and that those parcels are “pretty close” to being resolved and will be submitted for site-acquisition reimbursement within the next month or two.

Matt also noted the state general assembly session has begun and said the city intends to pursue an increase in the local bond authorization — from $15,000,000 toward $20,000,000 — to help cover some overruns on the track-and-field complex; he said the committee, board of trustees and city council may be asked for supporting resolutions. He recommended timing for a public unveiling of pre-K–8 design images once stage 3 approval is clear and said he would circulate a follow-up email to help coordinate communications.

The committee did not take action on the items Matt raised during the public-comment period; those matters (solar lease negotiation, site-acquisition reimbursements and any bond-authorization request) would proceed through their respective administrative and legislative processes.