Havre schools details comments procedures during board meeting

The Havre School District has announced that, because the district expects a larger-than-normal crowd at the Havre School Board of Trustees meeting Tuesday to vote on the upcoming school year's re-opening plan, it is imposing some adjustments and guidelines to accommodate Gov. Steve Bullock's directives, Hill County Health Department requirements and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations regarding the COVID-19 pandemic.

The agenda for the meeting is printed on Page A5 of this edition.

The district issued the following release about the guidelines:

Preparation of the foyer/main entrance:

• Multiple hand-sanitizing stations will be located throughout the foyer.

• Sign-in will be required at the door. All attendees to the meeting must sign in.

• Masks are required when social and physical distancing cannot be maintained.

Preparation in the gym:

• The meeting cannot have more than 50 people in the gym at any time which includes counting people at the board table.

• Seats must be socially and physically distanced.

• There will be five seats reserved for press and five seats reserved for other school personnel.

• Seating in the gym will be limited to 40, which includes counting people at the board table, to allow 10 additional physically distanced individuals to enter the gym during the comment portions of the board meeting.  

• To accommodate additional individuals who come to the meeting, administrators will direct attendees to overflow rooms.

Preparation of overflow rooms and spaces:

• Each room and space will have a sanitation station.

• An administrator will be present in the room to manage the remote streaming video of the meeting.

• Law enforcement will be present to assist near each overflow area.

• The meeting will be displayed on a TV in each room.

• Additional classrooms will be set up with chairs or desks - socially and physically distanced.

• Maximum occupancy to be determined by the size of the room.

During the board meeting:

• The board chair will explain the method of how comments will be fielded.

• As motions are made and seconded, people may desire to comment.

• It is at that time that the district will release groups of 10 who wish to speak to the gym lobby. They will wait outside the gym, will enter the gym, make their comment, and either return to the room or leave. Speakers should use the west exit from the gymnasium as they leave.

• Coordinating the release of those wishing to comment will be arranged by the overflow room supervisors and administrators.

In cooperation with local law enforcement, Havre Public Schools administrators will aid in dispersing the crowd and or audience.