The chairwoman of the Iberia Medical Center’s Medical Executive Committee read a statement from the hospital’s medical staff demanding the resignation of Iberia Medical Center board members Frederick “Bozo” Metz and David Benson during a special meeting of the board held Tuesday evening.

The meeting was scheduled to discuss the search process for a new chief executive officer in the wake of the resignation of its current CEO, Parker Templeton.

“I’m here with my colleagues to represent the medical staff,” MEC Chairwoman Michelle Menard began, “many of whom are upset with the resignation of Parker Templeton as our CEO.”

Menard said that some disruptive board members had created a “lack of trust” between the medical staff and the board.

“They have created a toxic environment,” Menard said. “The medical staff has taken a no confidence vote in board members ‘Bozo’ Metz and David Benson. We demand that these two board members resign.”

According to Menard, the vote among the medical staff members was 30-1 in favor of demanding the resignations.

IMC Board Chairman Larry Hensgens said that the Iberia Parish Council, not the hospital board, was the appointing authority for the two members, so they could not remove them from the board.

“It doesn’t require the parish council for those two to resign,” said Paul Gulotta Jr., another physician in attendance.

“I did ask Mr. Metz to resign,” Hensgens said. “He refused. I have not put that question to Dr. Benson.”

IMC board member Lynn Minvielle said the board could pass a resolution and send it to the parish council requesting the council to remove Metz and Benson.

“We cannot do it ourselves,” Minvielle said. “It is up to them.”

The board then declared an executive session to discuss the search process, but not before voting to have all non-board members — including Parish Council Chairman Paul G. Landry and the physicians in attendance — leave the meeting room.

Although the executive session lasted well over an hour, not all of the board members remained the whole time. About 25 minutes into the session, the meeting room door flew open and board member Ernest Wilson quickly left. Two minutes later, the door opened again and Benson departed without comment.

Three minutes after Benson’s departure, Metz also left without comment.

After the executive session, Hensgens said no action was taken, but he expects another special meeting will be called within the next 24 hours for Tuesday night.