Camarillo Fears Clash in Dual Duties of Consultant : Government: A man hired to lure corporations to the city has been tentatively hired by Ventura. He says the assignments are different.

A city consultant in Camarillo tentatively hired as an economic adviser for Ventura has a conflict of interest that most likely will prevent him from keeping both jobs, Camarillo officials said Wednesday.

Ventura officials on Monday tentatively selected Thomas E. Flavin, 47, to help draw up a blueprint for that city’s economic revitalization, even though Flavin is leading Camarillo’s efforts to lure corporations to the city.

Ventura officials said the hiring of Flavin was done with the understanding that he would quit his job with Camarillo.

“So far as I’m concerned, he’s disqualified himself if he doesn’t (quit his Camarillo job),” said Ventura City Councilman Jim Monahan. “I don’t think you can serve two masters.”

Ventura Councilman Gary Tuttle said Flavin told council members he would be willing to quit his Camarillo job if he was appointed to the Ventura post.

“He said he was willing to quit that job,” Tuttle said. “We want (him) putting (his) time and effort into one job. Plus, it’s pretty hard to promote one thing over another, which is what he would be doing.”

But Flavin, a former Burbank city councilman who is president of his own consulting firm, said that because the assignments for the cities are different, he hopes to be able to do both jobs at the same time.

The city of Camarillo hired Flavin last fall to work 25 hours a month at a monthly salary of $2,500. Earlier this year, the City Council extended his contract until December.

Flavin said the six-month, full-time Ventura post will require him to formulate a strategy and planning document for the city and will not involve any corporate recruiting. Flavin is seeking a $6,000-a-month salary in ongoing negotiations with Ventura officials.

“The two jobs are really fundamentally different,” Flavin said. “I understand that there may be some concerns and I appreciate those concerns. But the facts are that these two jobs are not the same and that I feel I can do them both well without any conflicts.”

Flavin said he informed Camarillo City Manager Bill Little in March of his application for the job in Ventura and spoke to him again two weeks ago when he was called in for a finalist interview.

“I’ve done nothing behind anyone’s back here,” Flavin said. “I’m just a business person and I’ve got to make a living.”

Little confirmed that Flavin kept him informed of his dealings with Ventura, adding that until he can review Flavin’s contract with Camarillo, the city would hold off on deciding if it will ask the consultant to relinquish his post.

“Tom has been upfront with me on this all the way through,” Little said. “Until I can see the contract, I won’t know if it’s a conflict of interest or one of time.”

However, some Camarillo City Council members said Wednesday that the Ventura job represents a potential conflict for Flavin and that he would have to choose between the two jobs.

“This seems like a very serious conflict of interest to me,” said Camarillo Mayor Ken Gose. “If he wants to continue to work for us, he will have to make a decision. I know that our contract with him talks about him not doing the same sort of work for any other city.”

Councilman Davis Smith echoed Gose’s comments.

“I thought we had an agreement,” Smith said. “I don’t believe he can work for both cities. But I consider it a part of the competitive process. It’s a little ironic that the guy we hired to lure away businesses to our city was himself lured away.”

In a March report to Camarillo officials, Flavin said he had talked to 76 firms throughout Southern California and, of those, eight had expressed serious interest in relocating to Camarillo.

Flavin said Wednesday that two firms had become very interested in moving to the city, but that talks were still ongoing. Flavin would not disclose the names of the firms.

Mitchell is a Times correspondent and Sommer is a Times staff writer.