City of Palmdale

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City Council


City Councilmembers:


City Manager:


Palmdale is a General Law City governed under the Council/Manager form of local government. The mayor is elected every two years for a two-year term. Also every two years, two of the four councilmembers are elected to serve four-year terms.

For more information, please call the City Clerk's office at 661/267-5151.


City Council Members


James C. Ledford Jr., Mayor


James C. Ledford James C. Ledford Jr. was elected to his ninth term as mayor of the City of Palmdale on November 6, 2007. Ledford also served four years as a City of Palmdale planning commissioner and two years as a councilmember prior to his first election as mayor in 1992.

A graduate of Palmdale High School, Ledford attended Antelope Valley College and received management training at Lockheed Development Corporation. Ledford, a resident of the City of Palmdale since 1968, served as a supervisor at Lockheed for six years. He also owned and operated a small business in Palmdale for 10 years.

Ledford represents the City Council as a delegate for the Antelope Valley Air Quality Management District, Antelope Valley Transit Authority, Los Angeles County Sanitation District Numbers 14 and 20 and the North County Transportation Coalition. He also serves as an alternate delegate for the California Contract Cities Association Safer Board.

Mayor Ledford is also active in a number of other civic and community organizations including the Antelope Valley Service Organization Association and the Boy Scouts of America.

Ledford, his wife Rachelle and their son Kye live in Palmdale.


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Stephen Knight, Mayor Pro Tem


Stephen Knight Stephen Knight was elected to his first term as councilmember for the City of Palmdale on November 8, 2005.

Knight is an officer with the Los Angeles Police Department and is assigned to the Devonshire division in north San Fernando Valley. Knight has been a police officer since September 1990 and has been assigned to the Devonshire, Van Nuys, North Hollywood, West Valley and Hollywood divisions during his tenure.

Knight was selected in 1995 to join the Community Resources Against Street Hoodlums (CRASH) team, at Devonshire to combat street gangs and their activity. He eventually left the CRASH team and was assigned to a foot beat for the Northridge Mall.

Knight is a graduate of Palmdale High School and a veteran of the U.S. Army. He completed his training in Fort Knox, Kentucky and was assigned to Ray Barracks in Friedberg, Germany. Knight was a track systems mechanic and worked primarily on 113 personnel carriers.

Knight represents the City Council as a delegate for the United States/Mexico Sister Cities Association and the California State Prison -Los Angeles County Citizens Advisory Committee. He is an alternate delegate for the Antelope Valley Transit Authority as well as the Los Angeles County Sanitation District Number 20.

Knight has been a sports coach for various youth teams over the past six years. He is also a PTA member for Rancho Vista School, a member of Father Serra Parish, and a member of the Palmdale Sheriff's Boosters.

Born on Edwards Air Force Base, Knight has been a resident of Palmdale for 20 years. He and his wife Lilian have two sons, Christopher and Michael.


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Mike Dispenza, Councilmember


Mike Dispenza Mike Dispenza was elected for the third time as a member of the Palmdale City Council on November 6, 2007. He is serving a four-year term.

Dispenza is a State Farm Insurance agent in Palmdale and operates one of the most successful agencies in the country, being recognized for outstanding leadership in sales performance year after year. Dispenza has more than 25 years combined experience in the insurance business, having worked in both California and Louisiana. Prior to entering the insurance industry, Dispenza practiced hospital and retail pharmacy.

Dispenza represents the City Council as delegate of the Antelope Valley Air Quality Management District; California Contract Cities Association-Safer Board; the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) Community, Economic and Human Development Committee North Region, representing Palmdale, Lancaster and Santa Clarita; and the Antelope Valley Transit Authority. He is an alternate delegate of the League of California Cities Desert Mountain Division and an alternate delegate for Los Angeles County Sanitation District Number 14. He is also a delegate to the Lahonton Regional Water Quality Control Board.

Dispenza has been involved with the community in a variety of ways serving as president of the Antelope Valley Underwriters; co-founding the Palmdale Education Foundation; co-chairing three Antelope Valley Board of Trade business outlook conferences; and founding the Palmdale Sheriff's Boosters. Dispenza has also been named outstanding citizen by the Palmdale Chamber of Commerce in 1992 and 1998 and was named "Who's Who Internationally" in 1997. Dispenza was also named "Outstanding Good Neighbor" by the Antelope Valley chapter of the American Red Cross.

Dispenza holds a bachelor's degree in pharmacology from Northeast Louisiana University in Monroe, Louisiana. He has three grown children and five grandchildren and resides with his wife Sarah in Palmdale.


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Steven D. Hofbauer, Councilmember


Steven D. Hofbauer Steven D. Hofbauer was elected to his second term on the City Council in an election held on November 6, 2007. Prior to being elected, Hofbauer served on the City of Palmdale Planning Commission since May 1992. He also served as a director of the Palmdale Community Association and was a co-coordinator of the City of Palmdale Earthquake Preparedness Fair.

Hofbauer has worked for the Los Angeles Fire Department since 1980. He currently works as a senior fire inspector II assigned to the construction services unit, inspecting highly technical new construction, high-rise and special occupancies. He has training and certifications through the International Code Council and California State Fire Marshall Inspector III.

Hofbauer has been a licensed EMT and paramedic for nearly 35 years. Prior to becoming an inspector, Steve staffed a variety of challenging field rescue assignments, including duty as a flight medic. His unit was one of the first rescue teams on the scene of the catastrophic Northridge Meadows building collapse, where their successful earthquake rescue efforts were prime time news. His legacy continues through the dozens of rookie paramedics he mentored as a paramedic preceptor training officer.

Steve served multiple tours of duty as a medical team leader with the LA County Disaster Medical Assistance Team. He received highly specialized training as a member of the elite National Medical Response Team, a unit of the US Public Health Service, trained to treat victims of industrial, nuclear or chemical accidents, or terrorist acts involving weapons of mass destruction.

Hofbauer has earned numerous commendations, including Paramedic of the Year, and the highly prestigious Los Angeles County Community Protector of the Year. The Boy Scouts of America have recognized him with the District Award of Merit, and the Council's Silver Beaver Award for Outstanding Service to Youth.

Hobauer attended Pierce and LA Valley College, UCLA Extension, CalState LA, Rancho Santiago and Santa Ana colleges to further his specialized education.

Hofbauer represents the City Council as a delegate to the National and State League of Cities and their Desert Mountain Division. He serves on the Public Safety Policy Committee, the Regional Trauma Center Committee, and chairs the Gang and Graffiti Sub-committee. He is the delegate to the California Contract Cities Association, where he serves on the Legislative and City/County Contracts Committees and the Orangeline High Speed Mag-Lev Development Authority. He is an alternate delegate on the North County Transportation Coalition as well as the United States/Mexico Sister Cities Association.

In his spare time, Hofbauer enjoys sailing and is an accomplished woodwind player. He is a member of the Palmdale Sheriff's Boosters, the United Firefighters of Los Angeles and California Professional Firefighters. He has served on the Boy Scouts District Training and Camporee staffs, as Merit Badge Counselor, an Assistant Scoutmaster of Troop 39, and is the Skipper of Sea Scout Ship 11. Hofbauer has volunteered with the Little League and Youth Orchestra Boosters and has been a coordinator for the Firefighters' Toys for Needy Children Program.

Hofbauer, his wife of 29 years, Barbara, and their two grown children, Kimberly and Eagle Scout Christopher have lived in Palmdale since 1981.


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Tom Lackey, Councilmember


Tom Lackey Tom Lackey was elected to his first term as councilmember for the City of Palmdale on November 8, 2005.

Lackey is a sergeant with the California Highway Patrol (CHP). Since beginning his career with the CHP in 1985, Lackey has worked in Los Angeles, El Cajon, Baldwin Park and the Antelope Valley. Prior to his employment with the CHP, Lackey was an elementary special education teacher in Rexburg, Idaho.

Lackey was raised in Boron and graduated from Boron High School. He was active in student government in both junior high and high school and was named "Who's Who Among American High School Students." Lackey was awarded the rank of "Eagle Scout" from the Boy Scouts of America in 1976.

Prior to completing his associate of arts degree, Lackey served a two-year mission for his church. He holds a bachelor of science degree in special education from Utah State University.

Lackey represents the City Council as an alternate delegate for the Orangeline Development Authority, California Contract Cities Association and California State Prison - Los Angeles County, Citizens Advisory Committee.

Lackey is an active member in a number of Antelope Valley civic organizations including the Antelope Valley Republican Assembly, Antelope Valley Crime Task Force and Antelope Valley Human Relations Task Force. He was an executive council member of the Antelope Valley School Boards Association and was a governing board member for the Palmdale School District prior to his election to the City Council.

Lackey and his wife Theresa have lived in Palmdale since 1995. They have two adopted children, Justin and Jani.


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Steve Williams, City Manager


Steve Williams Stephen H. Williams was appointed by the City Council as city manager of the City of Palmdale on Oct. 18, 2006. Prior to this appointment Williams served as assistant city manager for community development from April 2003. He also served as the City's director of public works from Sept. 1987 to April 2003.

Williams is a member of the International City Management Association and the California City Management Foundation. He is a past president of the High Desert Branch of the American Public Works Association (APWA) and was named the 2001 Public Sector Leader of the Year for the Southern California Chapter of APWA.

Williams has a bachelor of science degree in civil engineering from the University of Arizona, Tucson; and a master's of public administration degree from California State University, Northridge. He attended an executive leadership program at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University in July 2006.

Williams and his wife Pam have resided in Palmdale since 1987. They have three grown children.


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