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STATE OF LOUISIANA <br /> OF Lo <br /> tiwo DEPARTMENT OF STATE CIVIL SERVICE <br /> �`'r1`�i <br /> tip _ �9x LOUISIANA BOARD OF ETHICS <br /> * ` * P. O.BOX 4368 <br /> BATON ROUGE,LA 70821 <br /> (225)219-5600 <br /> FAX:(225)381-7271 <br /> 1-800-842-6630 <br /> www.ethics.1a.gov <br /> April 4, 2022 <br /> Mr. Gary McGoffin <br /> Attorney at Law <br /> 220 Heymann Blvd. <br /> Lafayette, LA 70503 <br /> Re: Docket No. 2022-031 <br /> Advisory Opinion <br /> Dear Mr. McGoffin: <br /> The Louisiana Board of Ethics, at its March 4, 2022 meeting, considered your request for an <br /> advisory opinion as to whether Kristy Touchet, a board member of the Vermilion Charter <br /> Foundation, would be in violation of the Code of Governmental Ethics if she were employed by <br /> an entity that may seek to obtain contractual or other business or financial relationships with the <br /> Vermilion Charter Foundation. <br /> FACTS PROVIDED <br /> You provided that the Vermilion Charter Foundation("VCF") is a Louisiana nonprofit corporation <br /> that has submitted a charter school application to the Board of Elementary and Secondary <br /> Education. You stated that Kristy Touchet is a VCF board member who receives no compensation <br /> for her services to the VCF. You stated that Ms. Touchet is employed as the Human Resources <br /> Director for SchoolMint, a privately owned company that provides school software. VCF has <br /> entered into a Management Agreement with Charter Schools USA ("CSUSA") to develop, <br /> manage, staff and operate the Vermilion Charter Academy when it receives charter approval. <br /> CSUSA has an ongoing contract with SchoolMint whereby SchoolMint provides administrative <br /> software to all CSUSA schools. If Vermilion Charter Academy's application is approved by BESE, <br /> it will utilize SchoolMint's software. <br /> LAW <br /> La. R.S. 42:1111C(2)(d) prohibits a public servant and a legal entity in which the public servant <br /> exercises control or owns an interest in excess of twenty-five percent, from receiving any thing of <br /> economic value for services rendered from a person who has or is seeking to obtain contractual or <br /> other business or financial relationships with the public servant's agency. <br /> Page 1 of 3 (BD 2022-031) <br /> AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER <br />