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Superintendent outlines Measure UU priorities: roofs, security, solar and local‑hire ambitions
Summary
Superintendent Knowles updated the oversight committee on Measure UU priorities—roof repairs, security gates, restroom and gym HVAC upgrades, solar carports and CTE expansions—and said the district will pursue community workforce agreements and contractor outreach to increase local hiring.
Superintendent Darren Knowles told Pomona Unified’s Independent Citizens Bond Oversight Committee that early Measure UU spending is focused on health, safety and infrastructure: roofing, fire‑alarm upgrades, campus access controls, restroom ADA conversions and gym HVAC work, with additional planning for science labs, a two‑story classroom building at Lexington and asphalt repairs across several campuses.
"We fixed the roofs around the district," Knowles said, adding that the work was important to complete before interior projects. He described completed security upgrades — steel doors, panic hardware and campus‑wide card readers — and restroom renovations that include new tile, LED lighting and vape detectors at secondary schools.
Knowles also highlighted two solar carport installations with EV charging stations at Pomona and Gary High Schools and outlined a longer‑term proposal for a district solar farm near the 60 freeway; staff warned the environmental review found endangered species that require Department of Interior coordination.
On workforce and procurement, facilities and legal staff told the committee that public works contracts must be advertised and awarded to the lowest responsible bidder under the Public Contract Code, but said the district is pursuing other tools to retain local spending: outreach workshops with the Pomona Chamber of Commerce, lists of local vendors, and negotiations on community workforce agreements (CWAs) or project labor agreements (PLAs) that can prioritize local hires and create apprenticeship slots for district students.
"If we enter into [a community workforce agreement], it requires contractors to look at local labor first," a district official said, describing a pathway for local journeymen and pre‑apprenticeship opportunities tied to CTE classes. Committee members urged continued outreach and transparency so Pomona‑based contractors can participate in upcoming bids.
The superintendent also described programmatic priorities: replacing aging portables at Golden Springs with permanent classrooms, expanding transitional kindergarten (TK) at select sites and investing in CTE infrastructure (machine shop, HVAC, welding, aviation) that will sometimes require infrastructure upgrades such as 220V electrical work.
Committee members asked for vendor and subcontractor lists for major projects and for continued coordination with unions and the city on traffic and safety for pickup/drop‑off optimizations. The committee tentatively scheduled a follow‑up oversight meeting in early March 2026 to prepare a report for the Board of Education.
The superintendent closed by saying most planned Measure UU projects will be prioritized by health and safety need and available bond issuance capacity.
