Ruling: Laf. PIO may work for Chackbay VFP

Brennan Matherne of Lockport, public information officer for the Lafourche Parish government, may contract with the Chackbay Volunteer Fire Department to provide graphic design services, according to a ruling by the Louisiana State Board of Governmental Ethics.

Tracy Barker, writing for the board, notified Matherne of the ruling after Matherne had requested a determination.

The Chackbay Volunteer Fire Department is a non-profit agency that generates much of its own funding through an annual fair and from an allotment from Fire District 8-C which in turn receives financing through parish tax millages.

Fire District 8-C is a parish board/district whose members are appointed by the Lafourche Parish Council, for whom Matherne works.

Barker wrote that state ethics rules prohibits a public servant from receiving anything of economic value for any service, “the subject matter of which is devoted substantially to the responsibilities, programs, or operations of the agency of the public servant and in which the public servant has participated.

“It appears that the service you will be providing to the Chackbay Volunteer Fire Department are not devoted substantially to the responsibilities, programs, or operations of the Public Information Office of the Lafourche Parish Government and in which you have participated,” Barker said.