BUTTE - Governor-elect Greg Gianforte has named 20 people to his COVID-19 task force, including three people from the Butte area.
Whitehall School Superintendent Hannah Nieskens received a call from Gianforte Monday.
“I was honored to be selected and asked to step up and help our state, so I’m hoping together we can come up with some solutions that really help the entire state,” said Nieskens.
Two Butte residents, Father Patrick Baretta and Butte Silver Bow Health Department Director Karen Sullivan were also selected to the task force. Both say there are happy to do what they can to help.
“We realize there’s no easy answers to the challenges that the state of Montana is experiencing as a result of COVID-19; however, I hope that I can be a solution or voice for the education sector,” said Nieskens.
The task force, made of representatives from around the state, will work with local and state officials and provide recommendations on how to deal with the pandemic.
“There’s a lot of representation from all over from the various sectors which is going to be beneficial to the task force as a whole,” said Nieskens.
The first meeting of the task force will begin later this month.