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STATE OF LOUISIANA <br /> �OF,Lotif�r DEPARTMENT OF STATE CIVIL SERVICE <br /> Fez,°9Z LOUISIANA BOARD OF ETHICS <br /> P.O. BOX 4368 <br /> BATON ROUGE,LA 70821 <br /> °�mriucwcc (225)219-5600 <br /> '•••.a»•' FAX:(225)381-7271 <br /> 1-600-842-6630 <br /> www.ethics.la.gov <br /> February 6, 2024 <br /> Alesia Ardoin <br /> Law Offices of R. Gray Sexton <br /> 8680 Bluebonnet Boulevard <br /> Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70810 <br /> Re: Docket No. 2024-015 <br /> Advisory Opinion <br /> Dear Ms.Ardoin: <br /> The Louisiana Board of Ethics, at its meeting on February 2, 2024, considered your request for an <br /> advisory opinion on behalf of Public Radio Inc. as to whether the Code of Governmental Ethics <br /> ("Code") prohibits it from entering into a consulting contract with Paul Maassen, an employee of <br /> the University of New Orleans. <br /> FACTS PROVIDED <br /> Public Radio Inc., a Louisiana nonprofit organization,operates the Baton Rouge radio station 89.3 <br /> WRKF, the National Public Radio ("NPR") affiliate for Southeast Louisiana. The University of <br /> New Orleans ("UNO") owns and operates the public, noncommercial radio station 89.9 WWNO, <br /> also an NPR member station in New Orleans. <br /> UNO received a grant from the Walton Family Foundation, which required specialized services <br /> UNO cannot perform without additional staffing assistance.As a result, a subcontract agreement <br /> has been entered between UNO and Public Radio Inc. to deliver the specialized services of digital <br /> presentation of Coastal Desk News and devote substantial time from the Digital Multimedia Editor <br /> to the Coastal Desk content. <br /> UNO employs Paul Maassen as the General Manager of WWNO. He reports to Adam Norris, <br /> Chief Communications Officer for UNO. To fulfill the needs of the grant, Public Radio Inc. would <br /> like to enter into a consulting contract with Mr. Maassen to perform up to 10 hours of work per <br /> week assisting Public Radio Inc. Mr. Maassen has submitted a UNO Disclosure of Outside <br /> Employment, which UNO President Kathy Johnson has approved. UNO is within the University <br /> of Louisiana System. <br /> You seek approval of the consulting contract between Paul Maassen and Public Radio Inc. <br /> according to the exception in La. R.S. 42:1123(9)(b). In Docket No. 95-069, the Board previously <br /> approved the procedure for University of Louisiana system employees to engage in outside <br /> consulting practices allowed by the provisions of La. R.S. 42:1123(9). <br /> Page 1 of 3 (BD 2024-015) <br /> AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER <br />