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STATE OF LOUISIANA <br /> ,,, Lov' DEPARTMENT OF STATE CIVIL SERVICE <br /> 'ti � Sig <br /> ��°" LOUISIANA BOARD OF ETHICS <br /> Q <br /> :ai'Jlffi �1`illl v <br /> I. pm;;,„„j�� P.O.BOX 4368 <br /> ��psZJ+r ? BATON ROUGE,LA 70821 <br /> °MI°6" (225)219-5600 <br /> FAX:(225)381-7271 <br /> 1-800-842-6630 <br /> www.ethics.state.la.us <br /> August 25, 2015 <br /> Douglas L. Stokes <br /> 401 Polk Avenue <br /> Jonesboro, LA 71251 <br /> Re: Ethics Board Docket No, 2015-682 <br /> Dear Mr. Stokes: <br /> 'Ihe Louisiana Board of Ethics, at its August 21, 2015 meeting, considered your request, on <br /> behalf of the Housing Authority of the "Town of Jonesboro ("Housing Authority..), for an <br /> advisory opinion as to whether Robbie Siadek may continue to provide compensated services <br /> to the Housing Authority. You stated that the Itousirrg Authority has utilized the services of <br /> Mr. Siadek for problems with the heating or air conditioning of its housing units. You also <br /> stated that Mr. Siadek was recently elected to serve as an Alderman for the "town of <br /> Jonesboro. Finally, you stated that if the Board of Aldermen for the Town of Jonesboro is <br /> required to aPprove the Mayor's appointments of members to the Housing Authority in the <br /> future, Mr. Siadek would abstain from voting or these matters. <br /> The Board concluded, and instructed me to inform you, that the Code of Governmental <br /> Ethics would not prohibit Mr. Siadek from continuing to provide compensated services to the <br /> Housing Authority. La. P.S. 42:1 i 13 prohibits public servants, their immediate family <br /> members, or legal entities in which they have a controlling interest, from entering into any <br /> contract, subcontract, or other transaction that is under the supervision or jurisdiction of the <br /> agency of such public servant. La. R.S. 40:3843,16), which defines toe term "local housing <br /> - authority", states that a local housing authority is a political subdivision of the state and is <br /> independent of the municipality or parish which establishes it or which may appoint some or <br /> all of its commissioners. Therefore, the Housing Authority constitutes its own agency, <br /> separate from the Town of Jonesboro, and the continued provision of compensated services <br /> by Mr. Siadck to the Housing Authority is not prohibited. <br /> The Board also concluded, and instructed me to inform ,ou, that the Code of Governmental <br /> Ethics would not prohibit Mr. Siadek_ from participating in the consideration of the Mayor's <br /> 'Appointments of members to the Housing Authority during the time that he provides <br /> compensated services to the Housing Authority. La. Po S. 42:1112B(2) prohibits a public <br /> servant from participating in a transaction involving 1-tis governmental entity in which a <br /> person in which he has a substantial economic interest, to his actual knowledge, has a <br /> substantial economic interest. The Housing Authority is a political subdivision of the state <br /> and is not a "person.°. Therefore, Mr. Siadek is not prohibited from participating in the <br /> consideration of the Mayor' - appointments of members to the I lousing Authority. <br /> AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER <br />