FERRIDAY — The Riverland Medical Center board of trustees will have a public hearing tonight to consider a possible $35 million bond and the purchase of land between Ferriday and Ridgecrest.

Commission Chair Jim Graves said the $35 million bond would only be discussed, but the board would likely get the bond attorney engaged in the process.

“It’s preliminary work,” he said. “It’s very slow, and tedious, but we are getting there.”

Graves said the land is an approximate 20-acre tract owned by Dan Renfro on U.S. 84 across the road from Camelot Nursing Home.

“The board is leaning on selecting this location, but anything could still change at this point,” he said.

Strategic planning for the new hospital will also be discussed, as will the selection of the architectural firm to design the hospital’s plans.

“Everything we are doing is working on getting the steps done for our application for the (United States Department of Agriculture Rural Development department),” Graves said.

Concordia Parish Police Jury member Joe Parker Jr. encouraged people to go to this meeting, which will be at the hospital in Ferriday at 6 p.m.

“This is the people’s hospital,” he said. “Go, go voice your opinion.”

At its regular meeting, the police jury tabled a motion in relation to issuing a resolution in support of the engagement of the $35 million in bonds.

“To borrow $35 million at this time, I can’t support it until they show us in writing how that $35 million will be paid back,” Parker said.

Parker also said he didn’t believe the police jury should support a move when 35 acres of land are already available to the parish where the hospital is currently located on E.E. Wallace Boulevard in Ferriday.

In other news, Al Ater, who has served on the hospital board since December, sent in a letter of resignation to the jury Monday. Ater said his personal business as a farmer doesn’t allow him to give 100 percent to the upcoming decision the board would make on building a new hospital.

“When you consider we have the most important decision in the last 50 years about its future I think it needs someone that can and will give it the proper time and attention that is required,” Ater wrote. “I thank you so much for the confidence and trust you placed in me by asking me to serve. Concordia Parish is my home and always will be.”