St. Mary ethics ruling issued

A company whose president is a second cousin to a member of the St. Mary Parish Levee District may still contract with the district, according to an opinion provided by the Louisiana Board of Ethics.

Brent Durham, writing for the board, informed Dan J. Hidalgo, president of Arcadiane Renovations, LTD (ARL), that his company may bid on a contract with the district even though his second cousin, William Hidalgo Sr., is president of the Levee District.

Durham noted that Section 1113A of the State Ethics Code prohibits a public servant “or a member of his immediate family” from bidding on or entering into a contract, subcontract, or other transaction that is under the supervision or jurisdiction of the public servant’s agency.

Durham noted that an immediate family member, as defined by the ethics code in Section 1102(13) “does not include second cousins. Therefore, ARL may enter into a contract with the St. Mary Parish Levee District.”

Dan Hidalgo sought the opinion to ensure that there would be no conflicts of interest with ARL’s contracting with the levee district, Durham said in his opinion.