Go early to the Thursday Vermilion Parish School Board meeting

If you plan on attending Thursday’s Vermilion Parish School Board meeting, you better go early because you may not have a seat in the meeting room if you get there 20 minutes before the meeting.
In the past, people have been allowed to stand along the walls in the meeting room if all the seats were full.
No longer, according to Superintendent Jerome Puyau.
Because of the state fire marshal, there will be a limited amount of people who will be allowed in the meeting room.
The state fire marshal said the number of people allowed is 60, which includes the eight school board members, the superintendent, the secretary and the six school supervisors.
That leaves only 48 remaining chairs.
There is expected to be three media outlets, with two journalists per outlet, for a total of six chairs.
That leaves only 42 chairs remaining in the meeting room.
At Tuesday’s committee meeting, people began arriving at 5 p.m. to get a good seat.
Because of the expected overflow crowd tonight, the school system is prepared.
There are now cameras in the meeting room, along with two new speakers in the meeting room and in the hall.
The overflow crowd will be able to watch the meeting in a room down the hall. The meeting will be streamed live to the other room.
A total of around 60 people can sit in the side room and stand in the hall.

Security stepped
up for meetings

Security was stepped up at Tuesday night’s Vermilion Parish School Board Committee Meeting.
For starters, the Vermilion Parish Sheriff’s Office had a deputy parked in the parking lot for the entire committee meeting, which ended at 9 p.m. and began at 6 p.m.
An Abbeville Police Officer was stationed inside the meeting room from 5:30 p.m. until 9 p.m.
The Sheriff Office and City Police are expected to be at Thursday's 6 p.m. meeting.