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STATE OF LOUISIANA <br /> of Lo DEPARTMENT OF STATE CIVIL SERVICE <br /> C4.ON J``tTt�f <br /> LOUISIANA BOARD OF ETHICS <br /> P.O.BOX 4368 <br /> BATON ROUGE,LA 70821 <br /> cONrioeNcc (225)219-5600 <br /> '••..o..••' FAX:(225)381-7271 <br /> 1-800-842-6630 <br /> www.ethics.1a.gov <br /> December 9, 2025 <br /> Eric Stracener <br /> Beauregard Parish Fire District 4 <br /> 2061 Bilbo St. <br /> DeRidder, LA 70634 <br /> Re: Docket No. 2025-635 <br /> Advisory Opinion <br /> Dear Mr. Stracener: <br /> The Louisiana Board of Ethics, at its December 5, 2025 meeting, considered your request for an <br /> advisory opinion regarding whether the Code of Governmental Ethics (the "Code")prohibits your <br /> wife, a member of the Beauregard Parish Fire District 4 ("BPFD4"), from receiving an increased <br /> stipend from the Board of Commissioners for BPFD4 while you serve as the Fire Chief for BPFD4. <br /> FACTS PROVIDED <br /> You and your wife, Jessica Stracener, became members of the BPFD4 in 2010. Both of you <br /> received a stipend of$10 per call, training, or event attended. In 2017, you were hired as the Fire <br /> Chief of BPFD5 and paid on a part-time basis since you also worked full time for the City of <br /> Deridder as a firefighter. You retired from the City of DeRidder Fire Department on June 17,2020 <br /> and continue to work as a Fire Chief on a part-time basis for BPFD4. In this role you receive a W- <br /> 2. <br /> Your wife is the training officer for BPFD4 and the Board of Commissioners would like to increase <br /> her stipend from $10 to $50 per day for training officer duties. She would continue to receive her <br /> normal stipend of$10 for responding to incidents and other non-training events. <br /> LAW <br /> La. R.S. 42:1102(18)(a) defines"public employee"to mean anyone,whether compensated or not, <br /> who is: <br /> (i) An administrative officer or official of a governmental entity who is not filling an elective <br /> office. <br /> (ii) Appointed by any elected official when acting in an official capacity, and the appointment <br /> is to a post or position wherein the appointee is to serve the governmental entity or an agency <br /> thereof, either as a member of an agency, or as an employee thereof. <br /> Page 1 of 2 (BD 2025-635) <br /> AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER <br />