By Bobby Ardoin
Eunice News Correspondent
OPELOUSAS — A pair of St. Landry Parish government capital outlay projects scheduled for completion in 2026, will provide increased medical benefits for residents of the Eunice area, according to parish president Jessie Bellard.
Bellard highlighted the ongoing progress for the $1.5 million Eunice Community Health Center and parish morgue building during his annual State of The Parish presentation last week at the Delta Grand Theater in Opelousas.
During the 90-minute event, Bellard outlined each of the parish departments and their responsibilities.
The projected 2026 parish operating budget and the amended budget from last year, were not discussed by Bellard.
Those in attendance had no questions for Bellard.
Health Center and Morgue
The concept design sketch for the Community Health Center, concealed dramatically behind a curtain at the start of the event, was unveiled publicly for the first time.
Bellard explained that the metal building eventually used by the corner and located near the proposed Community Health Center at the former Moosa Boulevard medical complex, was begun in 2025 using $201,431 in state grant funding.
Construction on the Health Center, located in what was part of the Moosa Memorial Hospital, is expected to start sometime during the next eight months, Bellard said during an interview following the event held before several hundred.
“The bids will soon be going out. We are counting on using 11,000 square feet of the former hospital and then using 6,000 square feet for doctors’ offices on the other side,” Bellard added.
Bellard has said previously that the inclusion of the doctors’ offices will be leased to the physicians and provide the parish with additional revenue.
Yancey Fontenot, a Eunice resident, was introduced as the director of the Health Center.
Fontenot was also presented with the annual President’s Award by Bellard.
Bellard told the crowd that the coroner’s building will be utilized primarily as an examination room and morgue, something that will facilitate the function of the mandated office that is funded by the parish.
The grant money for the facility was obtained in 2024 and will also provide refrigerated storage space, a mortuary cooler, a freezer and autopsy table, sink and plumbing stations.
“One thing that we found that we needed in connection with the coroner was a place where work could be done in a professional manner by the coroner,” Bellard said.
Annual Awards
The President’s Award was followed by a pair of Employee of The Year Award.
One award was given to Martin Langley, also of Eunice, who assists with parish jail supervision.
Cee Cee Savoy, normally in charge of parish functions including overseeing the warming shelter facility at the Indian Hills Country Club in Opelousas, was also presented with an Employee of The warming shelter opened on Saturday and it is scheduled to continue accepting persons through Tuesday, a parish press release has indicated.
Parish Income
In 2025 the parish sold adjudicated properties that provided $127,917.
Bellard pointed out the parish currently has possession of over 1,000 properties adjudicated to the parish due to delinquent property taxes.
“We don’t want to have control over all of those properties. We want to sell them and put them in the hands of property owners who are going to contribute to the tax rolls,” Bellard added.
Expenses
Bellard pointed out that the parish hired 31 individuals in 2025.
Some of those have been in various positions related to the parish Animal Shelter, Parish Airport, Health Units in Sunset, Eunice and Melville, the Community Action Agency, Public Works, Finance and Parish Jail.