纪念球场以接待毕业生和运动员而闻名. 但是12月11日发生的事件. 2 was likely a once-in-a-lifetime occurrence as members of the New Hampshire House and Senate met outside 惠特摩尔中心 to swear in the new legislature and elect its constitutional officers. It was yet another first in this year of firsts spawned by the coronavirus pandemic.
“这将是我第12次宣誓就职, 它肯定会从其他11个中脱颖而出, 所有这些都在美丽的代表大厅举行."
Organization Day for the 167th legislative session was slated to take place inside the Whit but COVID concerns led to the last-minute change. That had UNH organizers scrambling after receiving word of the new plan Sunday morning. The indoor space to accommodate Senate and House members as well as Gov. Christopher Sununu and the Executive Council had been readied the week before. Monday morning, 改变这种状况的工作正在进行中, resulting in 424 chairs being set up on Memorial Field before the Wednesday meeting. The council and governor convened on a basketball court at the Hamel Recreation Center.
“自COVID-19开始以来，众议院已经举行了三次会议. 因为组织日也涉及参议院, 总督及议会, there will be more people and an anticipated increase in the number of those not in compliance with safety regulations,” Rep. Marjorie Smith (D) of Durham said of the decision to move outdoors. “这将是我第12次宣誓就职, 它肯定会从其他11个中脱颖而出, 所有这些都在美丽的代表大厅举行 (in the State House).”
Rep. Laura Pantelakos (D) did not attend the event because she said doing so would violate COVID protocols that call for the wearing of masks and social distancing. 其他几名众议院议员也选择不参加. “我认为我们不应该见面. 这只是一个仪式，没有真正的交易. So I have to respect the people around me and my morals and not attend,朴茨茅斯居民在活动前说.
To allow the meeting to happen on short notice took assistance from UNH facilities, athletics, 停车及交通, 会议及餐饮, Campus Recreation, 惠特摩尔中心, 达勒姆消防和警察, UNH警察等等.
In June, 这是南北战争以来的第一次, the New Hampshire House of Representatives met outside the State House when it held its session inside The Whittemore Center, one of the few indoor arenas in the state large enough to host the 400 lawmakers and provide healthy social distancing required due to the coronavirus.
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