Acadia discusses funds for ER, clinic
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CROWLEY — The Acadia Parish Police Jury passed a resolution Thursday night to discuss funding options for placing a prospective parishwide health unit and emergency room facility on property owned by American Legion Hospital in Crowley.
Hospital officials told the Police Jury that the parish would serve as the political entity through which grant funding would be obtained for both projects.
The resolution included having jury officials meet with representatives of the hospital’s board of directors to discuss the project and then make a report that will be discussed at a July meeting.
Parish President Jay Credeur said he prefers to have the jury obtain grant funding for the proposed projects rather than ask taxpayers to pass a bond issue.
J. Andrus Barousse, chairman of the hospital’s board of directors, proposed that the parish build a health unit on hospital property. He said the parish would own the health unit building.
Barousse also proposed having the hospital staff operate the emergency center.
Stephen Stefanski, a hospital board member, said the emergency room is a critical component for offering health care services in Acadia.
Stefanski said during hurricanes, the current emergency room has to be evacuated because of its condition.
He said the Police Jury has better ability to obtain grant funding for the emergency room project.
“The parish can get a bigger grant than the hospital can,” he said.
Vice-president Cade Benoit said the potential grant money for the project would have to be obtained through FEMA sources. Benoit said the parish bonding attorney should also be present at the next meeting when the results of the discussions for the health unit and emergency room are revealed in July.
“It’s the only viable hospital between Crowley and Lafayette,” Stefanski said.
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