| Advisory opinion request by David Jarreau, president of the board of directors for the Pointe Coupee Parish Tourism Commission (Tourism Commission), regarding whether he may seek advertisers for a show he plans on producing and hosting to promote local tourism while he serves as president of the board of directors. |
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David Jarreau is not compensated in his position as president of the board of directors. He owns the production company Pointe Coupee Community Access Media, which produces local television shows. He is planning to produce and host a local television show called Pointe Coupee Magazine. This show centers around promoting local tourism.
He stated that the show would not receive any money from the Tourism Commission; however, he will be seeking advertisers to offset production costs, crew expenses, and air time expenses. Additionally, he would be compensated via the advertising by the sponsors. Mr. Jarreau stated that he would only use nformation that was publicly available for his show. This would include information about the people, places, and interesting facts and events designed to generate interest in visiting Pointe Coupee. Finally, he stated that none of the sponsors would have any business, contractual, or financial relationships with the Pointe Coupee Tourism Commission.
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La. R.S. 42:1111C(1)(a) provides that no public servant shall receive any thing of economic value for any service, the subject matter of which is devoted substantially to the responsibilities, programs, or operations of the agency of the public servant and in which the public servant has participated.
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 neither performed for nor compensated by any person from whom such public servant would be prohibited by R.S. 42:1115A(1) or (B) from receiving a gift.
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| Assigned Attorney: |
Brett Robinson |
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