| Advisory opinion regarding whether Renee Grantham, Director of the Allen Parishes Library, may accept complimentary admission from Ashley Weaver to attend an award banquet at which Ms. Weaver is nominated for an award. |
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Renee Grantham is the Director of the Allen Parish Libraries. Ashley Weaver is the Technical Services Coordinator. Ms. Weaver authored a book that was published by the Minotaur Mystery Division of Macmillan Publishing House. The Mystery Writers of America, a nonprofit entity, has nominated Ms. Weaver for an Edgar Award. Macmillan Publishing is flying Ms. Weaver to New York and paying for a hotel room inside the hotel where the awards banquet will be held, and given her two invitations to attend the banquet on April 29, 2015 for herself and a guest.
Allen Parish Libraries do purchase books published by Macmillan Publishing House and all of its divisions; however, the books are not purchased directly from the publishing house. Ms. Weaver's job duties include ordering books, which orders are approved by Ms. Grantham. The book purchases are made through book jobbers and retail outlets like Amazon and Books-a-Million.
Ms. Grantham plans to take 3 days of vacation to attend the banquet in New York. She intends to share the room with Ms. Weaver, paying for one night and Ms. Weaver paying for the other night. Ms. Grantham would like to accept the guest invitation given to Ms. Weaver by her publisher to bring a guest to the banquet.
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La. R.S. 42:1115B(2) prohibits a public employee from soliciting or accepting, directly or indirectly, any thing of economic value as a gift or gratuity from any person or from any officer, director, agent, or employee of such person, if such public servant knows or reasonably should know that such person has a substantial economic interest which may be substantially affected by the performance or nonperformance of the public employee's office duty.
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Adopt the proposed advisory opinion.
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| Assigned Attorney: |
Tracy Barker |
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