Harlan Kirgan
A request for an Attorney General’s opinion on the use of money from the district governing St. Luke Hospital raised fears among some Arnaudville residents that it was a tactic to delay an agreement to disband the district.
The item was on a special meeting of the St. Landry Parish Council on Wednesday.
On a 7-6 vote on Jan. 18 council approved an agreement with the St. Martin Parish Council to dissolve the First Hospital District of the Parishes of St. Landry and St. Martin.
The hospital district has about $1.4 million and the hospital in assets. The agreement gives St. Landry Parish the hospital and about $500,000.
A group of Arnaudville residents want to turn the building into a French Immersion Campus to draw students from the across the world.
The St. Martin Parish Council is to vote on the agreement Tuesday. The Parish Council plans to use the money for health services.
St. Landry Parish President Bill Fontenot indicated the $500,000 would be used to renovate the building.
Fontenot did not attend Wednesday special meeting or the committee meetings that followed.
Chad Pitre, the council’s legal counsel, said he is comfortable the parish may use the money to renovate the building.
But he added the decision would be up to the Parish Council.
“This board has to act before the executive branch can spend it,” Pitre said.
Alvin Stelly, a council member from the Arnaudville area, said the money is to be used for health purposes and cannot be used for renovations.
Pitre replied, “I guess you take the money and hire some doctors and go out in the community in that district and have health screenings.”
Pitre maintains the money may be used for renovations.
Jackie Cochran, of Arnaudville, said the hospital board wants to tear the building down, but she also said the former hospital is vulnerable to arson.
The opinion issue was forwarded the full council meeting on Feb. 15.
A item asking for an update on the parish taking over Moosa Memorial Hospital in Eunice was also forwarded to the council meeting.
Parish President Bill Fontenot did not say there is a plan for the parish to take over the vacant hospital. He did say he would look into what can be done to put the property back into commerce.