2024-113 (2) - Laserfiche WebLink

Ethics Board Docket No. 2024-113 Page 8 of 11 include, in addition to an amount equal to such economic advantage, penalties not to exceed one half of the amount of the economic advantage. Any appeal of such final decision by the Ethics Adjudicatory Board shall be to the Court of Appeal, First Circuit,pursuant to R.S. 42:1142. V. OPINION: It is the opinion of the BOE that Tommy Durrett, in his capacity as the Public Works Director for the Union Parish Police Jury, violated La. R.S. 42:1115A(1) by virtue of accepting complimentary hotel accommodations for three nights in Nashville, Tennessee, which is a thing of economic value, as a gift from an employee of Ergon at a time when Tommy Durrett knew or reasonably should have known that Ergon had or was seeking to obtain a contractual, other business, or financial relationship with his agency, the Union Parish Police Jury. The Union Parish Police Jury is the governing authority of Union Parish as defined by La. R.S. 42:1102(11), and Union Parish is a governmental entity as defined by La. R.S. 42:1102(12). As the Public Works Director for the Union Parish Police Jury, Tommy Durrett was a public employee and a public servant as defined by La. R.S. 42:1102(18) and (19), respectively. His agency, as defined by La. R.S. 42:1102(a)(vi), was the Union Parish Police Jury. Ergon Asphalt & Emulsions, Inc. is a person as defined by La. R.S. 42:1102(16). At all times pertinent herein, Mark Hartman was an employee of Ergon Asphalt & Emulsions, Inc., Tommy Durrett was an employee of the Union Parish Police Jury, and Ergon Asphalt & Emulsions, Inc. was seeking to obtain a contractual, other business, or financial relationship with the Union Parish Police Jury. If this matter proceeded to a public hearing before the Ethics Adjudicatory Board, and the Ethics Adjudicatory Board found a violation of the Ethics Code, the Ethics Adjudicatory Board