By LEONARD GRAY / L’Observateur / June 9, 1999

HAHNVILLE – Capping a marathon 5 1/2 hour meeting, the St. CharlesParish Council defended its actions in the St. Charles Hospital ambulanceservice controversy when members wrote a letter urging an outside contractor for the ambulance service.

“My obligation is to get information from the administration if I hear they are losing money,” Councilman Barry Minnich said, “and it’s my obligation to look at the alternatives.”However, he emphasized, “I will never be a scapegoat for Mr. Martinez.”Councilman G. “Ram” Ramchandran added, “What are the facts? That’s allI’m interested in.”Councilman Brian Champagne said, “It’s strictly a fact-finding mission at this point.”Councilman Curtis Johnson noted, “We have to investigate!” The April 27 letter addressed to Chairman Thomas Cheramie of the Hospital Board called on the board to consider all alternatives to the lost- income situation on the ambulance service, including privatization. Theletter noted changes in reimbursements for the ambulance service from Medicare and Medicaid which would adversely affect the hospital finances.

The ambulance service is supposedly losing $300,000 per year, according to hospital records.

The letter requested the hospital board “consider alternative methods of delivery for this service, including privatization.”It was signed by Ramchandran, Minnich, Bill Sirmon and Terry Authement.

Several speakers addressed the council, some calling for the firing of hospital administrator Fred Martinez, accusing him of not being aggressive enough in collections thus resulting in the ambulance service losing money.

“I can’t understand why only 32 percent collections,” said Craig Melancon, an 18-year veteran of the service.

He also noted the hospital rank-and-file staff has not had a raise in more than two years, while Martinez and other top administrators enjoyed hefty salaries.

Stanford Caillouet of New Sarpy chimed in with his own researches, declaring that Martinez earns $116,000 a year, which includes a $21,000 raise since 1995.

“Instead of getting rid of the ambulance service, they ought to be getting rid of Martinez!” Caillouet said.

Martinez agreed later that had happened and said his five-year contract, which began May 1998, included a $21,000 increase from the past three- year contract. He also admitted staff raises were “a little bit here andthere.”On the other hand, Martinez flatly denied he is empowered to solely negotiate a contract with an ambulance service provider, as employees understood him to say at a May 27 hospital board meeting.

As to the collection rates, Martinez said that low rate was not entirely accurate, as it included non-collections for free-care work. He agreed,though, that it could be improved and said the hospital has hired a collection firm to increase that income.

“It’s gotten into a he-said, she-said thing,” Martinez said.

In other matters, the parish council’s discussions on two rezoning matters shifted into discussions on traffic concerns.

A rezoning request in Ormond Country Club Estates on property fronting the once-planned east-west roadway, from commercial to residential, derailed in discussion when neighbors expressed concern about increased traffic due to more houses coming into the area.

Linda Salathe and Louie Guertin, both of the Stanton Hall area, said the traffic is now almost intolerable.

Ramchandran said a call for a traffic study when the matter is only at the rezoning stage is premature. He did, however, ask Councilwoman DeeAbadie to conduct a neighborhood meeting to review area development.

Parish President Chris Tregre agreed, and said, “I think a traffic study in this case would be appropriate.”The rezoning was approved in a 7-1 vote, with Champagne voting against it and Authement absent.

In the other matter, a rezoning of property near Bar None Estates for development of a 100-plus lot subdivision likewise ran into traffic concerns from Bar None neighbors. However, this rezoning was approved inan 8-0 vote.

Also, the Parish Council, in an 8-0 vote and after lengthy discussion, approved criteria for developments within 500 feet of a historical area, at the request of the River Road Historical Society.

Society founder Wayne Gaupp told of initial opposition to the group’s efforts to restore once-abandoned Destrehan Plantation. She said peopleonce told her they should “just burn the old place down.”The site is now a premier historical and tourism attraction for southeast Louisiana.

The council also approved a resolution of support toward a truck stop/video poker parlor at 10326 Airline Highway, next to the Jefferson Parish line in St. Rose.Finally, the council approved the act of dedication for Shamrock Park, Phase II in Bayou Gauche. Some of the lots in question, though, front a roadwhich is supposedly a state highway but is unpaved.

Developer Dr. Ray Matherne and project engineer Paul Hogan say the road ismarked as a state highway, but the parish insisted it is a state right-of- way.

Tregre said it would be absolutely illegal for the parish to accept lots fronting an unpaved street. “If they want to challenge this, there’s threecourtrooms up here.”Matherne said delay would financially hurt the developers to the tune of $9,000 per month. However, he conceded he would not sell any lots untilthe road is paved according to parish standards under the 1981 subdivision regulations.

With that concession, the matter was approved in an 8-0 vote.

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