Flores Ousted as Chief of Anti-Poverty Agency

After months of bickering, the board of directors of Orange County’s largest anti-poverty agency on Thursday officially terminated the contract of John Flores, the agency’s president who had been feuding with board members.

Community Development Council board members argued heatedly and emotionally behind closed doors before voting 9 to 4 to terminate Flores and appoint the agency’s director of program review, Clarence (Buddy) Ray, as interim director, some board members said. Ray was hired by Flores last June after working for the agency on a consulting basis for employment and job training.

Herbert Schwartz, board chairman, expressed regret that Flores had been removed, but he said Flores’ downfall was that he failed to effectively communicate with board members.

“It saddens me because John Flores is a man who is excellent with technical ability,” said Schwartz, who announced the board’s action after its meeting in Santa Ana.

Flores, 44, who has headed the Community Development Council for three years, said he intends to fight the board’s decision in court.

“I’ll be talking to an attorney on Monday,” Flores said.

Flores, who earned an annual salary of $47,700, had upset some board members when he requested a substantial increase in salary and benefits. When he took a disputed leave of absence for one week in March as a sort of protest over the contract dispute, it resulted in a wider gulf between him and the board.

Flores was credited with bringing financial stability to the CDC, and the directors of several social service agencies predicted that Thursday’s action would have a chaotic effect on the operation of the agency.

“It’ll take months for this agency to get back to normal,” said Gloria McDonough, director for a Westminster senior citizens center known as Abrazar.

The CDC board acted despite public comment from two Santa Ana council members and a dozen representatives from social service agencies who urged the board to table the matter and allow a cooling-off period.

“It’s my desire that a mutual meeting of the minds prevail,” said Ron May, a Santa Ana council member, who joined fellow council member Miguel A. Pulido in offering help to the board to mediate the dispute.

‘Big Losers’

May, in a letter he sent the agency’s board last week, said, “I am particularly concerned that Orange County’s poor will be the big losers in a confrontation that seems fueled by a lack of communication.”

“I see no useful purpose served by appointing an acting manager,” May said in his letter.

May and Pulido attended the meeting to express “deep concern” about the administration, in Flores’ absence, of a $140,000 grant that Santa Ana had given to the anti-poverty agency last year. The money was designed to help poor, displaced tenants.

After Schwartz announced Flores’ termination, board members quietly gathered their agenda packets and left the meeting. One, Marta Lopez-Digby, who had supported Flores, had sobbed during the discussion and was teary-eyed as she left.

“Today’s action was an injustice not only to John Flores but to the poor people of this county,” Lopez-Digby said.

Representation Questioned

Lopez-Digby has criticized composition of the board--it now includes four executive assistants to county supervisors, business executives and directors for social service agencies--saying poor people aren’t adequately represented.

“It’s the elite against the poor,” she said bitterly in an interview after the meeting.

She added that she will fight to change the board’s composition, including taking legal action if necessary.

But the board did not “fully shut” the door regarding Flores’ employment, said James Colquitt, another board member. He said the board will be recruiting openly and it’s conceivable that Flores can reapply at the next board meeting--although Flores flatly rejected that idea.

Employees Unhappy

Many of the agency’s employees expressed dissatisfaction with the board’s action, particularly the appointment of Ray as interim director. Some workers said they suspect Ray provided in-house information to board members who wanted Flores terminated.

For the last several weeks, Ray has kept his door closed and kept to himself, employees said. At a recent staff meeting, he sat alone.

Ray called accusations that he helped specific board members “untrue.”

“When John Flores was hired, this agency was operating with a $300,000 deficit. Now we have a $7.2-million annual budget. Many of the employees love this guy,” said Jim Hamlett, the agency’s public information officer.

The agency is now operating in the black.

Some employees who asked that their names not be used also expressed concern that Flores’ termination could spell trouble for some department heads hired by Flores during his three-year tenure.

Ray said any discussion of personnel changes “was premature.”

“It would be improper to make wholesale changes at this time and change some of the board’s and agency’s philosophy and style,” Ray said.

Uncertain Obstacles

What obstacles Ray will face, at least until the board’s next meeting May 27, are uncertain. Ray did acknowledge, however, that “it’s not going to be easy.”

“But I think the staff members are committed to the program, and it’ll continue with that,” Ray said.

The board left unresolved issues concerning conflict-of-interest statements and residency questions involving current board members.

Board member Ken Bellis wants board members to be required to sign a conflict-of-interest statement that includes a public declaration of their home address.

Stuart Wallach, the board’s counsel, was asked to report on both issues at the next meeting.