| Advisory opinion request regarding whether the Hornet Basketball Boosters (Boosters) may donate money to the Richland Parish School Board to supplement the salary of the basketball coaches. |
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Specifically, the Boosters would like to donate a certain amount to be distributed to Head Coach Damon West with an additional amount to be evenly distributed to Assistant Coaches Billy Grren, Antwuan James, Ronald Ellis, and Mack Brown. The Boosters would like the remaining amount to be deposited into the Rayville High School Boys Basketball Student Activity Account, which is held by Rayville High School. Mr. Jones stated that the Hornet Basketball Booster account was used to raise and collect donations to support the Rayville High School Boys Basketball Team and that this account was neither established by nor affiliated with the Richland Parish School Board or Rayville High School. He also stated that the contributors to the Boosters did not include any vendors, player, player's parents or companies they may own. He provided a list of the donors. The additional compensation, if approved, would be included in the new contracts the coaches would sign subsequent to the Richland Parish School Board meeting on September 11, 2018. The additional compensation from the Boosters would be considered a one-time distribution within the new contracts between the Richland Parish School System and the Rayville High School Boys Basketball coaches.
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La. R.S. 42:1111A provides that no public servant shall receive anything of economic value, other than the compensation and benefits from the governmental entity to which he is duly entitled, for the performance of the duties and responsibilities of his office or position.
La. R.S. 42:1115 provides that no public servant shall solicit or accept, 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: (1) Has or is seeking to obtain contractual or other business or financial relationships with the public servant's agency, or (2) Is seeking, for compensation, to influence the passage or defeat of legislation by the public servant's agency. No public employee shall solicit or accept, directly or indirectly, anything 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 employee knows or reasonably should know that such person: (1) Conducts operations or activities which are regulated by the public employee's agency. (2) 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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| Assigned Attorney: |
Brett Robinson |
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