For years, Iberia Medical Center has had issues every time a heavy rain rolled through. The coal tar roof, last replaced after Hurricane Andrew in 1993, is 26 years old. 

It only had a life expectancy of 25 years.

“This came up before the finance committee, and it was agreed we need to move forward on this project urgently,” said interim Chief Executive Officer Dionne Viator. 

Board member Kurt O’Brien said the need for the repairs could not be understated.

“It has the highest priority,” O’Brien said. “It need to be completed as soon as possible. We do not want any delays.”

The challenge with the project is the scale of the roof at the hospital’s main campus. According to Chief Operating Officer Shane Myers, the new roof will have to cover 79,000-square-feet of existing coal tar roof. The project also faces the challenge of having to be accomplished without interrupting the work at the hospital.

Myers said much of the preparatory work for the new roof has been completed.

“We have done all of the testing and the architect has it,” Myers said. “The estimate for the project is currently in the $1.5 million range.”

Myers also explained some of the other challenges and improvements that will be made during the project.

“On the fourth floor, we are evaluating any abandoned piping that can be removed before be-ginning work,” Myers said. “We will also be scoping all of the drains, looking for any issues or cracks. There is also the flashing where the first floor meets the fourth floor which we will have to replace. We are also looking at installing additional drains, to help the flow of water from the flat roof.”

Myers said he is hopeful the design work will be finished in late January so the project can be put out to bid.

“We need to make a motion tonight to approve putting this out for bid,” O’Brien said. “Our next meeting is not until Jan. 30, so if we want to move as soon as possible, this has to be approved tonight.”

Myers said the bids will be out for about 45 days, meaning that the board would be able to decide on a vendor in March.

The board’s last meeting of the year was also the first meeting for incoming board member José Mata, who was appointed to fill the Medical Executive Committee seat David C. Benson formerly held. As part of a compromise reached to change the board’s appointment procedures earlier this year, Benson moved to the at-large seat vacated when outgoing board member Burton Cestia’s term ended in November.

It was also the last meeting for outgoing board member Frederick “Bozo” Metz. Metz was replaced earlier this month when the Iberia Parish Council appointed Roland Jeanllouis to his seat.

Metz did not attend Thursday night’s meeting.