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STATE OF LOUISIANA <br /> ,o"'"you• DEPARTMENT OF STATE CIVIL SERVICE <br /> J` OE ° fig•• <br /> P. '11:;"1LOUISIANA BOARD OF ETHICS <br /> P.O. BOX 4368 <br /> l BATON ROUGE,LA 70821 <br /> CO ' ,.� (225)219-5600 <br /> "°,,,d° FAX:(225)381-7271 <br /> 1-800-842-6630 <br /> www.ethics.state.la.us <br /> December 22, 2011 <br /> Mayor Robert Crafton <br /> P.O. Box 457 <br /> Elizabeth, LA 70368 <br /> Re: Board Docket No. 2011-1622 <br /> Dear Mayor Crafton: <br /> The Louisiana Board of Ethics, at its December 16, 2011 meeting, considered your request for an <br /> advisory opinion regarding whether the brother of an employee of the Town of Elizabeth may be <br /> employed by the town. You stated that the Town of Elizabeth is a small, rural municipality a <br /> population of 574. The town owns a natural gas distribution system consisting of approximately 50 <br /> miles of pipeline. Currently,one full-time employee operates and maintains the system. The system <br /> has grown to the point that it is necessary to employee a part-time person to assist the full-time <br /> employee. You would like to hire the 'brother of the gas system operator to assist him. You would <br /> sign all time sheets and work in conjunction with the system operator to direct the part-time <br /> employees duties and work schedule. <br /> The Board concluded, and instructed me to inform you that the Code of Governmental Ethics does <br /> prohibit the gas system operator's brother from being employed by the town. La. R.S. 42:1119A of <br /> the Code states that no member of the immediate family of an agency head shall be employed in his <br /> agency. The gas system operator is not an agency head, thus there is not prohibition from his <br /> immediate family members being employed n his agency. However, 42:1 1 1213(1) prohibits a <br /> public servant from participating in a transaction involving die governmental entity in which,to his <br /> actual knowledge,a member o ibis immediate fami v has a substantial economic interest. Therefore, <br /> the gas system operator should not participate in any transaction in which his brother has a <br /> substantial economic interest. <br /> This advisory opinion is based solely on the facts as set forth herein. Changes to the facts presented <br /> may result in a different application of the provisions of the Code of Ethics. The Board issues no <br /> opinion as to past conduct or laws other than Code of Governmental Ethics. If you have any <br /> questions, please contact me at (225) 219-5600 or (800) 842-6630. <br /> Sincerely, <br /> LOUISIANA BOARD OF ETHICS <br /> oer-iAQ> •i ✓�''`1 <br /> 1-ri <br /> Deidra L. Godfrey <br /> For the Board <br /> AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER <br />