City of Palmdale

Official Web Site

City of Palmdale, California - A Place to Call Home
Strategic Plan   |   Youth   |   Buy Tickets   |   Online Forms & Services   |   Home   |   
  
CITY HALL

Partners for a Better Palmdale
HOME
CONTACT CITY STAFF
FAQs

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.


top of page

Steven D. Hofbauer, Mayor Pro Tem


Steven D. Hofbauer Steven D. Hofbauer was elected to his second term on the City Council in an election held on November 6, 2007 and was selected as Mayor Pro Tem in December 2008. 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 is currently a senior Fire Inspector II in the Fire Prevention Bureau, Technical Section, Construction Services Unit, and holds professional certifications through the International Code Council, California State Fire Marshall, CAL-EPA and Governor’s Office of Emergency Services.

Hofbauer has been a licensed EMT and Paramedic for over 35 years. Prior to promoting to Fire 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 the highly prestigious Los Angeles County Community Protector of the Year, and was twice named Paramedic of the Year. The Boy Scouts of America recognized him with the District Award of Merit, and the Council's Silver Beaver Award for Outstanding Service to Youth.

Hofbauer has attended Los Angeles Pierce and Valley Colleges, Rancho Santiago, Santa Ana, and Rio Hondo Colleges, UCLA Extension, and California State University Los Angeles to further his specialized education.

Hofbauer represents the city to the League of Cities at the National, State, and Desert/Mountain regional levels, serves on their Public Safety Policy Committee, Regional Trauma Center Committee, and chairs the Gang and Graffiti Sub-committee. Steve is the Regional Council representative for Palmdale, Lancaster and Santa Clarita to the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG), and their Community, Economic and Human Development Committee. He is the city’s delegate to the California Contract Cities Association, serving on the Legislative and City/County Contracts Committees; Director for the Orangeline High Speed Mag-Lev Development Authority; and member/delegate to the United States/Mexico Sister Cities Association. Steve is an alternate delegate on the High Desert Corridor Joint Powers Authority, Los Angeles County Sanitation District Numbers 14 and 20, and North County Transportation Coalition.

Steve is a member of the Palmdale Sheriff's Boosters, the United Firefighters of Los Angeles and California Professional Firefighters, the International Code Council and the Society of Fire Protection Engineers.

In his spare time, Hofbauer enjoys sailing and is an accomplished woodwind player. He has been an active volunteer with the Boy Scouts of America on District Training and Camporee staffs, as high sierra Camp Medic, Merit Badge Counselor, Assistant Scoutmaster, and currently is the Skipper of the Antelope Valley Sea Scouts. Hofbauer has volunteered with the Little League and Youth Orchestra, and was a coordinator for the Firefighters' Toy Program.

Steve and Barbara have been married over 30 years, and with their two grown children, Kimberly and Eagle Scout Christopher, have lived in Palmdale since 1981.


top of page

Laura Bettencourt, Councilmember


Stephen Knight Laura Bettencourt has been an Antelope Valley resident since 1985. She was elected to her first term for City Council on May 19, 2009.

Bettencourt currently works as a crime analyst for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and has done so for 11 years. She previously worked for Northrop Grumman at Site 4 on the B2 program. For the past nine years, Bettencourt has also worked as an adjunct instructor at Antelope Valley College teaching courses in criminal justice.

Bettencourt holds a bachelor’s degree in criminology, law & society, from the University of California, Irvine, a master’s degree in criminal justice from California State University, San Bernardino, and an associate’s degree from Antelope Valley College. She is also certified by the California Department of Justice in Crime and Intelligence Analysis and has attended both the basic and advanced federal law enforcement academies for intelligence analysts in Quantico, Virginia.

Bettencourt holds memberships with Alpha Phi Sigma the National Criminal Justice Honor Society, the International Association of Crime Analysts, the Southern California Association of Crime and Intelligence Analysts and is a life member of the Girl Scouts of America.

She resides in east Palmdale with her daughter Bailey.


top of page

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; and the Antelope Valley Transit Authority. He is an alternate delegate of the League of California Cities Desert - Mountain Division and the Inland Port Task Force. 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 2009. 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.


top of page

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.


top of page

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.


top of page

Bookmark and Share Bookmark or Share