JAMESTOWN, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – Visitors in the Jamestown Public School District along with students and staff will be “strongly encouraged” to wear masks inside Jamestown Public School buildings starting May 17th.

Jamestown Public School Superintendent Dr. Rob Lech says to this point, the board and officials have taken great care since the pandemic began to keep the students and staff safe.

With that, Dr. Lech says it was up to the school board to decide the next steps in their Health & Safety Plan. He provided a list of choices the school board could make, adding that any decision they made would be polarizing.

Dr. Lech says the current plan has allowed the school to continue their curriculum, relying on officials with Central Valley Health and the North Dakota Department of Health to keep them informed. He says using experts opinions and data gives the school the safest path forward.

Board member Jason Rohr brought up concerns he had heard from constituents, adding some said they would respect whatever decision the board makes.

A motion was made to discontinue in-school contact tracing May 10th and make face masks strongly recommended beginning May 17th.

The Jamestown Public School Board came to the decision on a 5 to 4 vote following nearly 2 hours of conversation and debate. Before the vote, an amendment was made to move the date to May 10th. That failed on a 6 to 3 vote.

In other school news, Lech reports the district will have the summer meal program through 2022.

You can view the entire School Board Meeting below. The facemask discussion begins at around 1:19:00.