Parish President Chester Cedars told members of the Parish Council last week that parish government will receive between $700,000 and $800,000 in cash as its portion of the settlement following the dissolution of Hospital District No. 1.
The district, established in 1963, served portions of northern St. Martin Parish and St. Landry Parish around the Arnaudville area and operated St. Luke Hospital for a number of years.
But the hospital closed years ago and the building has been vacant. The Hospital District was abolished in 2017.
A small property millage tax was collected over the years from property owners in the Hospital District even after St. Luke’s closed.
After extended negotiations with St. Landry officials, an agreement turned the hospital property over to St. Landry Parish and split the money accumulated in the District’s account between the two parishes.
Under the agreement, St. Martin will receive 65 percent of the money, which Cedars estimated would be between $700,000 and $800,000.
Cedars explained that the money must be used to provide some type of health-related services to the residents of the old Hospital District, which covers portions of Parish Council Districts 8 and 9.
No plans have yet been formulated.
Cedars said he was relieved to have the matter finally resolved.
In other matters at the council’s brief Sept. 3 meeting, members approved an agreement with Tetra Tech Inc. for the firm to provide pre-position disaster debris removal and received the annual report from LSU AgCenter County Agent Stuart Gauthier and members of his staff.
