| Advisory opinion regarding whether John E. Atkins, a newly elected member of the Caddo Parish Commission, may continue to provide compensated services to Argent Financial Group, Inc., when its wholly owned subsidiary, Argent Trust Company, N.A., serves as the Caddo Parish Commission's custodian of a portion of its surplus funds. |
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John E. Atkins was elected to the Caddo Parish Commission in the October 2015 election. Mr. Atkins is also a director and minority shareholder of Argent Financial Group, Inc. He does not own a controlling interest in Argent Financial Group. Argent Trust Company, N.A., is a wholly owned subsidiary of Argent Financial Group. Argent Trust Company , since December 28, 2000, has served the Caddo Parish Commission as a custodian of a portion of the Commission's surplus funds.
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La. R.S. 42:1111C(2)(d) provides that no public servant and no legal entity in which the public servant exercises control or owns an interest in excess of twenty-five percent, shall receive any thing of economic value for or in consideration of services rendered, or to be rendered, to or for any person during his public service unless such services are: (d) Neither performed for nor compensated by 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 or is seeking to obtain contractual or other business or financial relationships with the public servant's agency; conducts operations or activities which are regulated by the public employee's agency; or has substantial economic interests which may be substantially affected by the performance or nonperformance of the public employee's official duty.
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Adopt the proposed advisory opinion.
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| Assigned Attorney: |
Tracy Barker |
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