By Cain Madden

The Natchez Democrat

FERRIDAY — To applause at Ferriday’s state of the town meeting Wednesday, Riverland Medical Center board member Al Ater said the future of the hospital will remain in Ferriday.

The critical-access hospital will be rebuilt as a state-of-the-art facility for approximately $40 million, Ater said. One question does remain — where will it go?

Currently, everyone on the board favors rebuilding where the current hospital is on E.E. Wallace Boulevard, but market research suggests an alternative site on the west side of town.

“The idea would be to attract business from Jonesville,” Ater said.

As it stands, the hospital is drawing only 4 percent of residents from Vidalia, he said. Of the other approximately 18,000 residents in Concordia Parish, approximately 17 percent of use Riverland.

“There are 140 jobs at stake,” Ater said. “And most importantly, for the people who need it the most, we need to have affordable healthcare right here.

“Our best chance of sustaining it and growing is to go for the biggest piece of the pie.”

Another problem Ater mentioned with eastside location is E.E. Wallace Boulevard.

“This is not saying anything against what Mayor (Gene) Allen has been doing, but the Boulevard looks like a disaster area,” he said. “One of our biggest problems is attracting doctors. We need to make the area look professional to get young people and young doctors to come.”

Ater said board members want to consider all feasible options.

“We want to make sure we make a 52-year decision,” he said. “We need to make sure we choose as wisely as the people who came before us.

“I know it’s frustrating, but we just want to make sure everyone is well informed. Once it is built, we can’t move it.”

If the hospital ultimately is moved to the west side of town, Ater said the move would be well publicized and would come after many meetings with the Concordia Parish Police Jury.

Ater also urged Ferriday to get behind the hospital.

“It will only be as good as the support the community gives it,” he said.