‘It’s hard to serve two masters’ : Flores Aide Sheds Chamber of Commerce Job

Niki Tennant, who doubled as an aide to Los Angeles Councilwoman Joan Milke Flores while serving as the manager of the Harbor City/Harbor Gateway Chamber of Commerce, has doffed one of her hats.

Tennant recently gave up her part-time job as chamber manager to take a full-time position as Flores’ field deputy for the Harbor City/Harbor Gateway area. She will serve as the liaison between the councilwoman and residents.

“We wanted a full-time deputy there, and Niki wanted to increase her hours,” Flores spokeswoman Julie Mantrom said. “I think she’s still going to work closely with the chamber. She obviously has strong feelings for it.”

Tennant said she took the job with Flores because she preferred to have just one employer. “It’s hard to serve two masters,” she said.

Rent-Free Arrangement

Beginning last August, under an arrangement between Flores and the chamber, Tennant worked for both out of a one-room Harbor Gateway office rented for Flores by the city of Los Angeles. The chamber paid no rent for the $500-a-month office but paid Tennant’s salary three days a week. Flores paid Tennant for the other two days.

As a Flores aide, Tennant shared the field deputy’s job with Tad Isomoto. Isomoto, who joined Flores’ staff as a part-time aide after retiring as the city director of sanitation, has asked to cut back his hours and will work on special projects, Mantrom said.

Flores said last year that she saw no conflict in the office- and job-sharing arrangement. Tennant has agreed.

But one woman--Rochelle Bullock, treasurer of a Harbor Gateway residents group--criticized Tennant for holding both jobs. Bullock said the arrangement appeared to align Flores too closely with the business community, which she said seemed to be getting “a free ride” from the city.

Despite Tennant’s new job, Bullock is still unhappy--this time with Tennant’s replacement at the chamber, Harbor City community leader Joeann Valle.

Different Interests

In an interview Thursday, Bullock asserted that Valle, who is also president of the Harbor City Coordinating Council, a residents group, would not adequately represent the Harbor Gateway as chamber manager.

“She’s interested only in Harbor City,” Bullock said. “Their interests are entirely different from ours.”

Valle said she is busy with other civic duties and intends to give up her position with the residents group as soon as a replacement can be found. Nevertheless, she said she will remain active in Harbor City and called Bullock’s comments “ridiculous.”

“What I am doing is a job for the Chamber of Commerce,” she said. “This has nothing to do with what I personally do for Harbor City.”