A compromise reached to address problems that arose in the appointment process for medical staff members of the Iberia Medical Center Board of Commissioners is on hold.

In its regular meeting Thursday night, the board heard from staff physicians who were opposed to the conversation they said board member Frederick “Bozo” Metz had with Sen. Fred Mills, which caused Mills to put a piece of legislation on hold Thursday morning.

“I am very disappointed in this,” said Dr. George Cousin, who is a contracted physician for IMC. “This bill was crafted to remedy the problem we had in good faith. If any board member thinks we should not have representation, he should speak up.”

Dr. José Mata, another contract physician with IMC, also spoke up.

“I also express concern because politics got involved,” Mata said. “Two committees worked together on this, one from the medical staff and one from the parish council, and a board member stopped it after a compromise was attained.”

The agreement reached through negotiations between the Iberia Parish Council, which appoints the board members, the IMC Medical Executive Committee, which selects the candidates, would have required legislation to clarify the appointment process in the Iberia Hospital District’s charter. That legislation, Senate Bill 92, is currently on hold while its author, Sen. Fred Mills, meets with Metz and other interested parties on Monday.

“I have delayed the bill in the session,” Mills said Thursday night. “Before I bring it up, I would like us to build consensus at home on it. I would rather meet with everyone and make sure everyone understands what the language does before causing any disruption in the process.”

Mata, who was the Medical Executive Committee recommendation to the IMC board in January, was not appointed. Instead, the parish council chose Dr. David Benson. That move led to the negotiations and the proposed change to the hospital charter language.

“If we do not have adequate representation and this controversial and toxic atmosphere continues, we can leave,” Mata said, referring to the physicians.

When the public comments were finished, Metz defended himself, saying that Mills called him to ask about his concerns. Board member Ernest Wilson said he had not seen the legislation and asked why it had not been provided.

“It’s not an agenda item for us,” board member Dr. Kurt O’Brien said. “The parish council makes the appointment. We shouldn’t have a say in that. Besides, it was discussed at this table. It was presented last month to all of us.”

IMC Chief Executive Officer Parker Templeton said the information packet for the meeting contained a list of all hospital-centered legislation in the current session, including Senate Bill 92.

“All you had to do was look it up,” Templeton said.

Part of the legislation would require that the next vacant seat on the board would be filled through a medical staff appointment. That provision would leave current board member Burton Cestia without a seat on the board.

“It’s my seat that is being taken,” Cestia said. “And when they told me that, I said, ‘Whatever is best for the hospital.’”

The hospital also voted to approve an $11 million bond issue for infrastructure improvements. That revenue bond would be paid back through the profits from the hospital, not through other parish funding.

One of the first uses for the money would be modifications to the HVAC system for the operating room suite. Templeton said that project would qualify for tax-exempt status, which would lower the eventual cost to the hospital.

According to the resolution passed Thursday night, the bonded funds would go toward improvements, extensions, additions, renewals, replacements or repairs to the hospital.

The board also approved a cooperative endeavor agreement with the Iberia Parish Government for a licensed clinical social worker at the Iberia Parish Health Unit. The parish would pay for the position, with IMC providing human resources support and malpractice insurance coverage.