| Advisory opinion regarding the Mayor of Brusly, Joey Normand, purchasing property and joining a homeowners association, while the homeowners association is involved in a lawsuit with the City. |
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Mr. Normand is the Mayor of Brusly, La. He has been in office since January 1, 2001. His present term ends December 31, 2012. He has been reelected to another four year term beginning January 1, 2013. This fall, he and his wife Andrea purchased a home at 1623 Orleans Quarters Dr. As homeowners in that subdivision, they are members of the Orleans Quarters Homeowners Association (HOA). Membership is required, not optional, as a function of home-ownership in the subdivision. During the past year, the HOA has been embroiled in a bitter struggle to stop development of Orleans West Subdivision; which is a continuation of Orleans Quarters Dr., the street on which all current HOA members live.
The HOA is currently a defendant in a civil lawsuit with the owners/developers of the Orleans West Subdivision. As part of his membership, he and his wife pay annual dues to the HOA, together with any additional levies voted on by the HOA membership. In his position as Mayor, the Brusly Town ordinances specify his direct involvement as Mayor in the land development process, including decisions as well as recommendations to the Town Council.
Until the time of his property purchase in Orleans Quarters subdivision, Mr.Normand has had meetings and discussions with his staff, the Council, citizens, the developer, their engineers, the Town's engineers and others relative to the development of Orleans West Subdivision.
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Section 1112 of the Code prohibits a public servant from participating in a transaction with his governmental entity in which a person that the public servant has a contract with has a substantial economic interest or in which the public servant has a substantial economic interest.
Substantial economic interest is defined by the Code as an interest that is greater than a group or class of persons.
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Adopt the proposed advisory opinion.
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| Assigned Attorney: |
Aneatra Boykin |
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