FARMINGTON -- The Davis School District has asked a 2nd District Court judge for a few months to research and interpret the state's open meetings law. In a motion filed last week, legal counsel for the Davis School District asked for continuance of a hearing to determine whether it was lawful for the district to close its Boundary Committee meetings to the public.

In response to a suit filed by a group of Bountiful parents, 2nd District Judge Michael Allphin last month granted a restraining order stopping the Davis Board of Education from acting on boundary alignments recommended by its advisory committee at least until Dec. 11, when another court hearing is scheduled.

The motion filed Friday states that before the case can be resolved on its merits, it's necessary for "the district to conduct discovery and research regarding the proper interpretation of the statute," including the meaning of language defining a public body within the Open Meetings Act, how governmental agencies have applied the act's requirements and how those entities have used advisory committees.

The Boundary Committee, made up of community members and elected officials, was asked to study and recommend high school boundaries for the coming school year.

The Davis Board of Education was to have given preliminary approval to the committee's recommendations on Nov. 21 but was restrained from doing so by Allphin on Nov. 16.

Meetings of the 39-member board were closed because their work was of an advisory nature, and district officials felt the proceedings would be less distracting if the meetings were closed.

District policy has allowed boundary meetings to be closed for several years now, with public input taken at scheduled meetings, via e mail and telephone calls and at public hearings.

District spokesman Chris Williams said he couldn't say when Allphin will rule on the motion, but it asks that the Dec. 11 hearing be vacated.

mwilliams@davisclipper.com