A resolution on the sale of the former Franklin Foundation Hospital facility was introduced Thursday by Hospital Service District 1 commissioners.

The resolution deems that the property located on Hospital Avenue has been deemed available for sale and an offer has been made for an amount not less than the appraised value set at $226,000, according to legal advisor Russel Cremaldi.

The notice should be advertised three times over a 15-day period, Cremaldi said. The board would then be able to consider its adoption. Passage of the resolution would authorize the execution of a purchase agreement.

An offer has been made by a Lafayette company interested in establishing a psychiatric and addiction treatment center.

The board heard from Josh Hebert of Rukkus Properties who said the facility would offer 50-100 beds in a "lock-down" environment. Hebert has been meeting with hospital administration for several months in purchase negotiations.

The facility "would be a haven for the state," Hebert said in light of the high demand for such services.

"I think that (Hebert) is absolutely right," said Chip Holmes of Foundation’s management group, QHR. "Hospitals like yours in this state and across the country need the behavioral health resource — a place for patients to go once you’ve stabilized them in your emergency department and can move them to the right place for care if their physical health issues are taken care of."

He added that the Rukkus plan makes good business and economical use of the former hospital.

"Please be thinking about the other end of this — a continuum of care circle … a patient comes into your emergency department stabilized from a medical condition, needing behavioral health — a great resource right down the road," Holmes said. On the other end, he said, then some of the patients in the psychiatric facility will also require physical treatment which can be referred to Foundation.

Board chairman Marshall Guidry noted that Hebert has verbally agreed to utilize Foundation’s laboratory and imaging services.

The board voted unanimously to introduce the resolution and scheduled a meeting on Aug. 6 to consider its adoption.

The board also heard from representatives of Landcoast Insulation of New Iberia who expressed interest in using the old hospital as a boarding house for 400-500 people who would be bused to job sites at the Port of Iberia.

Discussion of that offer was referred to executive session.

In other business the board:

—Rolled back its annual millage rate from 16.68 mills to 16.19 which will generate the same amount of revenues as the lower rate due to adjusted property value reassessments.

—Heard from Cindy Bradley who just came aboard as the interim chief executive officer. Bradley said she has been meeting individually with medical staff, department heads and hospital board members.

—Heard from Holmes that QHR has received 17 resumes for the CEO position. He said those should be narrowed to 2-3 candidates no later than early October for the interview process with the board.

—Heard from Chief Finance Office Gary Marti that the hospital realized a $61,273 bottom-line surplus in June, bringing the year-to-date profit to just over $403,000.