VIDALIA, La. &045; Since the meetings are almost simultaneous in different parts of the parish, the Concordia Parish Police Jury called a special meeting Tuesday night to meet with the Riverland Hospital Board.

Police Jury President Melvin Ferrington said it was not a finger-pointing meeting but that the police jury had a lot of concerns about the future of the hospital.

Ferrington said there were things going on at the hospital the board did not understand and wanted clarification from the Riverland board.

Five of the six Riverland board members were present at the meeting and talked with the police jury in an hour and a half long executive session about personnel and legal strategy.

Ferrington said after the meeting that part of the concerns were financial, including the recent months when Riverland has been operating in negative numbers. There was no further explanation for the special meeting.

The Riverland Board will report back to the jury in three to six months in an open meeting, Ferrington said.

The jury wants to &uot;see if they made any headway, getting our concerns straightened up,&uot; Ferrington said.

The police jury appoints the Riverland Board and the jury has some authority over the board because it is a tax-supported hospital.

One-quarter percent of the sales tax money from the parish supports Riverland, about $30,000 a month.

Ferrington stressed after the meeting it was the board’s duty to set rules and guidelines for the hospital and the hospital administration’s job to see that the guidelines are followed.