Full council begins work next week

This story appeared in the Antelope Valley Press December 9, 2000

By BOB WILSON
Valley Press Staff Writer

PALMDALE - After operating for eight months with the fewest number of members possible, the Palmdale City Council will have all its seats filled after an installation ceremony at 7 p.m. Monday.

During that ceremony, election victors Jim Root and Rick Norris will recite oaths of office before joining Mayor Jim Ledford and councilmen Rod Penner and Mike Dispenza behind the dais.

Root will be sworn in to complete the final year of a term left uncompleted for former Councilwoman Shelley Sorsabal, who resigned in April. Norris will undertake the last three years of a fouryear term vacated by former Councilman Kevin Carney, who resigned in January.

During their campaigns, both Norris and Root said they would work to improve the city, but their opinions of improvements sometimes differed.

While Root supported the construction of a new hospital anywhere in the city, Norris opposed construction anywhere but 40th Street East and Palmdale Boulevard, on property owned by Antelope Valley Hospital.

Both men favored increasing the number of retail outlets on the city's east side, starting with the construction of a new Wal-Mart store, as well as improving housing and recreational activities for Palmdale's senior citizens and bolstering the ranks of law enforcement.

After the seating of the two new councilmen, the City Council will adjourn its meeting so members may attend a reception in the city's Emergency Operations Center.

Monday also will mark the inauguration of those elected to the board of directors of Antelope Valley Hospital.

Taking the oath for a fourth time will be Steve Fox, while Deborah Rice steps into her second term and Dr. Abdallah Farrukh his first.

Farrukh will replace singleterm director Larry Chimbole, who did not campaign for a second term.

The trio will be sworn into office at 5:30 p.m. in Conference Room 4, AV Hospital, 1600 West Ave. J. The ceremony will be followed immediately by a reception.