Port’s Liaison Position Goes to Former Flores Deputy

The Port of Los Angeles has filled a newly created community liaison position--a job designed, in part, to tend to the complaints of Wilmington residents--with a man residents know well and have been at odds with in the past.

Nelson Hernandez, who served as Wilmington deputy to City Councilwoman Joan Milke Flores during a time of heightened tensions between the councilwoman and the community, will be returning to the harbor area next month to take the job of community relations officer, port spokeswoman Julia Nagano said.

Peter Mendoza, president of the Wilmington Home Owners, said residents were frustrated with Hernandez during his tenure as Flores’ deputy in 1986 and part of 1987--a period when residents were especially critical of Flores and her staff for not paying enough attention to them.

Able to Work Together

However, Mendoza said he believes residents will be able to work with Hernandez, despite any hard feelings in the past.

“Nelson knows us, and we know Nelson, so I think there will be no time lost getting acquainted,” Mendoza said. “I think he knows what our problems are and what we want to accomplish, what Wilmington needs and what Wilmington has been lacking. . . . I suspect things will work out.”

Hernandez’s hiring is part of a reorganization of the port’s government and community affairs department, in the wake of the recent abrupt departure of the division director, Cal Burton. Burton left the port 10 months after he was hired, and his departure has not been explained.

Burton, who was in charge of public relations as well as the port’s legislative agenda, will not be replaced.

Instead, his duties will be split among Nagano, who has been promoted to public information director and will be in charge of public affairs, and others in the port hierarchy, who will handle legislative duties.

Worked as Assistant

Hernandez, who is on a fellowship and finishing a master’s degree in public administration at City University of New York, will work under Nagano. As part of his fellowship, he worked temporarily as a special assistant to port Executive Director Ezunial Burts earlier this year.

Hernandez could not be reached, but Nagano said she believes residents “will be very pleased that we are putting someone into the community.”

As community relations officer, Hernandez will be in charge of what the port is calling “a comprehensive effort to identify and resolve community issues related to port activities.”

The program was set up this year after Wilmington residents repeatedly criticized port officials for bringing traffic and pollution into the harbor area without regard to its effect on their community.

Mendoza said he thinks Hernandez has a tough job ahead.

“Unfortunately, he’s coming to the port just about where we were with the councilwoman a few years ago,” Mendoza said. “He’s coming in at a bad time because we feel that the port has not really been responding to us.”