Vote on Degeyter's FFH board seat fails twice

The governing body in charge of making decisions that impact nearly everyone in St. Mary Parish had their work cut out for them at their bi-monthly meeting Wednesday night at the courthouse in Franklin.
And the St. Mary Parish Council had to make several influential decisions Wednesday night without a voice recognized by members of the council as one that had repeatedly brought reason and perspective to difficult situations over the years.
It was announced prior to the proceedings of the meeting that longtime Councilman Steve Bierhorst, Dist. 10, was resigning his position due to health concerns. The announcement was declared before a packed audience by council Chairman Kevin Voisin.
In his letter of resignation, read aloud by Voisin, Bierhorst said, “It has been an honor to serve these many years. I have fond memories of my service. I wish you all the very best with future endeavors and decisions.”
The council will be tasked with appointing a temporary replacement at a future meeting to fill the vacancy. As Bierhorst was the vice-chairman of the council, it was necessary for the group to name a new person to fill the position before the meeting could proceed. The council unanimously nominated Councilman Paul Naquin to fill the vacancy and he accepted before a nearly standing-room only audience.
The reason the council chambers was nearly filled to capacity was an item at the very end of the scheduled agenda. A position on the Franklin Foundation Hospital Board of Commissioners was up for a vote but not before several people took the opportunity to voice their opinion as to whether incumbent commissioner Dr. Roland Degeyter should be re-elected or whether a new person, Sheron R. Steward, should be elected.
After a few members of the audience voiced their opinion that the board, (which according to both sides of the debate has dealt with varying levels of divisiveness over the last few years), needed a new person to fill the vacancy, the podium was taken by several members of the audience in support of Degeyter.
With FFH Chief Executive Officer Craig Cudworth and other administration members in attendance as well as many hospital staff members, one of the first to take to the podium in support of Degeyter was Louisiana State Representative Sam Jones, Dist. 50. Jones said the community needed continuity in the hospital and needed to retain Degeyter as a board member. He did however make a point, in addressing the council, to recognize the polarized nature of the FFH board in recent years.
“You can see by the audience today and in the past how divisive the issues have been at the hospital for the last few years,” Jones said. “We do not need to run off doctors. We have to be thoughtful and careful. I believe the board you have now, by in large, is moving in the right direction. We cannot afford to keep dividing this community. I’m asking for a unified vote to maintain Dr. Degeyter on the board. Changing right now would be the wrong thing for this community.”
The next speaker was Teche Action Clinic CEO Dr. Gary Wiltz. Wiltz also spoke in favor of keeping Degeyter on the FFH board.
“I’m here to express my full, unequivocal and unreserved support of the reappointment of Dr. Roland Degeyter,” Wiltz said. “I can tell you his compassion is unquestioned. His commitment and loyalty to this community is unquestioned. I know how tough decisions are made, but you can never go wrong by doing the will of the people.”
Wiltz ended, and put a stamp on his “will of the people” statement, by introducing a petition signed by, according to him, over 100 individuals in support of Degeyter.
Also speaking on behalf of Degeyter were fellow FFH board members Dr. Nick Accardo and Clegg Caffery.
After the guest input portion of the meeting ended, Voisin suggested and it was accepted by the council to move the vote on the issue up from the end of the agenda.
The first vote, a result of a motion to appoint Steward as the new FFH board member, resulted in a deadlock. In order to pass, the measure required six votes in favor. Only five council members voted in favor with four voting against and one abstention.
Voting in favor were councilmen Gabriel Beadle, Rev. Craig Mathews, Glen Hidalgo, James W. Bennett and Voisin. Voting against appointing Steward were Naquin, Sterling Fryou, J Ina and Dale Rogers. Councilman Ken Singleton abstained.
The 5-4 with one abstention vote resulted in a deadlock. The next vote, in favor of reappointing Degeyter as a result of a motion, was the exact reverse of the previous vote.
In favor were Ina, Naquin, Rogers and Fryou. Against were Beadle, Mathews, Hidalgo, Bennett and Voisin. Singleton again abstained and the measure failed to pass.
After the votes failed to reach a decision, it was decided to attempt to decide the matter at a later date. Degeyter retains his position as a FFH board member until otherwise decided by the council.
Reached for comment following the meeting, Parish President David Hanagriff said he wished the council had been able to reach a consensus on the matter.
“I’m very disappointed the council could not come to a conclusion,” Hanagriff said. “I’m disappointed we aren’t moving in a different direction. I think we should be going in a different direction for the hospital and St. Mary Parish and the citizens of the community.”
In other business, the council adjourned into executive session to discuss, according to the posted agenda, a legal matter involving a company that “threatened litigation” against the parish by Mosquito Control Contractors, Inc. against St. Mary Parish Government involving the termination of a mosquito control services contract.”
Matters discussed in executive session are not subject to public or media scrutiny by law. The only statement made by the council after the executive session was a decision to retain legal counsel to represent the parish in the legal matter.