Consultants

Top TV Agent Enters Management Business: Gavin Polone, a top television agent who was fired earlier this week by United Talent Agency in a highly publicized feud, will join former colleague Judy Hofflund in forming Hofflund/Palone, a new management partnership.

The Legal Grind, a Santa Monica coffee shop, is setting itself apart from other Westside java joints by combining two things that make people jittery: lawyers and coffee. Eight lawyers give free legal advice to customers at the shop at 2640 Lincoln Blvd. The lawyers are experienced in such areas as bankruptcy, landlord-tenant disputes, family law, entertainment, copyrights and immigration.

Not too long ago, Larry Pasternack was a typical American business owner with a typical attitude about the post office: He hated it. Now the Irvine electronics manufacturer is leading cheers for the U.S. Postal Service, but he's not shy about his onetime distaste for the operation. "You were treated like a nuisance when you went in with a question or a problem," he said. Pasternack does all of his selling by direct mail.

Agoura Hills and Calabasas officials have selected four consulting firms as finalists to manage construction of a regional gymnasium and community center. The four companies--Nello Group of North Hollywood; Picon Inc. of Encino; CBM Consulting Inc. of Los Angeles, and CMTS Inc. of Culver City--will be interviewed by officials from the two cities in May, said Greg Johnson, Calabasas' director of community services.

AutoPacific Inc. has parted ways with well-known and oft-quoted analyst Christopher W. Cedergren over what the Santa Ana automotive consulting company's founder called "philosophical and professional differences." In conjunction with Cedergren's resignation as senior vice president of AutoPacific and head of its Detroit-based competitive analysis operation, several other employees in the Detroit office also are leaving. Industry consultant James N.

Management at the county's transit agency is generally "weak and inexperienced," lacks clear goals, rules by fear and has lost the trust of its board, according to an independent audit of the organization presented to the MTA on Thursday.

In the movie "The Jerk," comedian Steve Martin runs through town crowing about the arrival of the new telephone book. In a sad commentary on the life of a mutual funds columnist, I've recently been in the same mode, saying over and over: "The new Morningstar is here! The new Morningstar is here!"

Guy Hebert came off the ice long after a Mighty Duck practice had ended, sweat dripping from his chin, looking more exhausted than if he'd just played a game. Behind him trailed Francois Allaire, the Ducks' new goaltending consultant. What in the name of hockey did he do to Hebert, make him skate a mile in his goalie gear? Allaire shook his head. "Just talked," he said. Hebert laughed. "You'd be amazed how tired you can get just moving around that little crease," he said.

The City Council has approved a $10,000, one-year contract with a consultant who will advise the new Community Youth Task Force. The agreement calls for David Hartl, president of General Learning Climates Inc. of Tustin, to work with elected officials, city staff and residents who volunteer for the youth advisory group. The task force is being organized this summer to plan the gang-prevention and other youth programs that are among the city's goals for fiscal 1996-97.

The Board of Supervisors will decide today whether to hire merger-and-acquisition specialists to study various options for the county's landfill system, including selling the dumps to a private operator. Under the proposal before the board, the county would pay A.G. Edwards & Sons and Alex, Brown & Sons as much as $100,000 to complete a report on the future of the county's four active landfills and more than 20 closed facilities.