VIDALIA — Apparently upset over the Riverland Medical Center board’s decision to purchase of land to relocate the hospital, the Concordia Parish Police Jury wants to hear from the board’s director before deciding whether to abolish the hospital board entirely.

The notice from Juror Joe Parker follows Secretary-Treasurer Kevin Friloux communicating to jurors of receipt of the minutes from the hospital board’s July 26 meeting.

In the meeting, the hospital board voted to allow Chair Jim Graves to execute the real estate contract with Dan Renfro for the purchase of 20 acres of property on U.S. 84 near Camelot Leisure Living. The cost would be no more than $27,500 per acre.

The board also approved the issuance of $35 million in hospital revenue bonds for the purpose of building the new critical access medical center.

Parker said he would like to hear an update from Graves about executing the contract with Renfro. Following that update, Parker said he would like to discuss “whether we keep that board or let it go.”

Parker had no comment Monday following the meeting about his motives in seeking to hear from the hospital representatives. In the past, Parker has been critical of moving the hospital when the parish already owns 35 acres of land on E.E. Wallace Boulevard in Ferriday, which is where the hospital is currently located.

The motion was unanimously passed to ask Graves to appear on the agenda at 6 p.m. Monday, Sept. 26.

The police jury Monday also made five new appointments to the Recreation District No. 1 board, which represents the area around Ferriday, Clayton, Wildsville and Ridgecrest.

Seven former recreation board members were removed in August following the release of the Louisiana Legislative Auditor’s report in July alleging misuse of public funds by the district including allegations:

– The recreation district’s director used equipment for personal use;

-The district contracted with a family member of the former board chair;

-Board members received excessive compensation;

-Board members donated public funds to causes without proper documentation.

Over a two-year period, the report alleges approximately $150,000 in district money may have been misused.

The police jury first unanimously approved to cut the district from having a seven-person board down to a five-person board.

The jury then unanimously approved staggering the board member’s appointments on a five-year cycle.

The board approved the following board members and terms:

-Myisha Davis of the Clayton highway to a one-year term;

-Tiesha Lewis of Clayton to a two-year term;

-Glenn Henderson of Ferriday to a three-year term;

-Katie Kelly of Wildsville to a four-year term.

-And Butch Hammett of Ridgecrest to a five-year term.

Henderson had previously been appointed to the Recreation District No. 1 board and was absolved of his duties along with the rest of the board in August. However, he had been appointed to the board after the period in which the Legislative Auditor’s office investigated.

Seventh Judicial District Attorney Brad Burget also announced in August he was investigating the audit to determine if members of the previous board had committed any crimes.

In other news:

-James W. Scarborough, president of the El-Camino U.S. 84 committee in Louisiana, asked the jury to nominate two jurors to the committee. He also asked the jury to support a resolution to ask the Louisiana Legislature to make funding the project a higher priority.

Scarborough said of the five states — Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas — involved in the road corridor, Louisiana lags behind others on road construction.

“Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi have completed their portions, and Louisiana has only done 10 percent,” he said. “We are the state that is always lagging behind in everything.”

Jurors committed verbally to offering the resolution and coming up with two appointments at its next meeting.