Mayor attempts to close meeting on police labor complaint

Havre Mayor Bob Rice attempted Tuesday to hold a closed door meeting with a committee of the City Council about an unfair labor practice complaint filed against the city.

Rice abruptly said the meeting of the City Council's Labor Relations Committee was adjourned when a Havre Daily News reporter refused to leave the meeting.

Rice said Wednesday he was advised by the city attorney that he could close the meeting because "litigation strategy" was going to be discussed.

However, John Andrew, labor standards bureau chief at the state Department of Labor and Industry in Helena, said Wednesday that...