9 Candidates Pursue 2 Council Seats

A new hospital, jobs and a measure that could bring another Wal-Mart to the community are key issues facing Palmdale voters Nov. 7, when they must choose from a slate of nine candidates to fill two open seats on the City Council.

Four people seek to complete the term of former Councilman Kevin Carney, which runs through November 2003. Carney, a former sheriff’s deputy, resigned his seat in January after being charged with child molestation. He is currently on trial facing 16 counts of sex offenses involving children, including continuous sexual abuse, lewd conduct and unlawful intercourse.

Another five candidates are vying for the seat vacated by former Councilwoman Shelley Sorsabal, who stepped down in April under threat of a recall drive. That term expires in November 2001.

Seeking to fill the three-year seat are public relations consultant Sandy Corrales, Palmdale Planning Commissioner John Mayfield, businessman Richard “Rick” Norris and bus driver Joseph Rivera Jr.

Union chief Alan Lee, attorney Richard Loa, high school teacher James Root, college student Matthew Van Dyk and consultant Jason Zink are running for the one-year term.

The candidates generally agree about the need for a hospital in Palmdale--the nearest facility is in neighboring Lancaster--but disagree about where it should be located.

Corrales, Norris, Lee and Loa want the hospital built on the east side of town. Rivera thinks it should be centrally located near the Palmdale Airport. Van Dyk said the city should renovate and maintain the site that Antelope Valley Hospital abandoned several years ago when it moved to Lancaster. Root and Mayfield say anywhere in Palmdale is fine with them. Zink could not be reached for comment.

“Whether it is on the east side or the west side is not the issue,” Mayfield said. “Just so it’s in Palmdale. Our city needs a full-service hospital.”

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Officially, the city is split into east and west sides by Division Street. Unofficially, the Antelope Valley Freeway separates east from west, with the latter area having received most of the city’s shopping centers, restaurants and other amenities.

Several candidates said they want to bring more jobs and services to the underserved east side but differ on how to do it.

They split, for example, on Measure T, a resolution that would change the zoning of a 13-acre parcel on the east side of the city at 47th Street East and Avenue S, clearing the way for a large retail center anchored by Palmdale’s second Wal-Mart store.

Foes of Measure T predict that Wal-Mart will eventually expand the store into a Supercenter, complete with a full-service grocery and auto repair shop, although Wal-Mart officials say they have no plans to do so.

The measure’s critics say Wal-Mart and the retail center will hurt area neighborhoods and existing businesses, and that the city will be trading higher-paying jobs for lesser ones.

Those in favor of the measure say the retail center will create jobs and boost tax revenue. Wal-Mart and the center will serve Palmdale’s east-side residents while also attracting shoppers from communities beyond the city’s boundaries. Also, as a condition of the Wal-Mart deal if Measure T passes, the property owners said they will give the city 21 acres for a park and give Palmdale School District 12 acres for a special education school.

Mayfield, Norris, Loa and Root support the measure. Corrales, Rivera, Van Dyk and Lee are opposed. Zink did not respond.

Other stances from the candidates for the three-year seat follow:

* Corrales, 35, who studied journalism at USC, said she would work to bring a 24-hour pharmacy, jobs and a four-year university to the area. She also favors term limits and campaign finance reform for council members.

* Mayfield, 54, who holds a bachelor’s degree in business from Columbia College in Missouri, said he favors improving senior citizen housing, roads and retail services.

* Norris, 51, who holds a law degree from Western State University in Fullerton, is interested in bringing more jobs, promoting regional economic cooperation to reduce competition with neighboring communities, increasing sheriff’s patrols and expanding services for seniors.

* Rivera, 40, who attended community college and describes himself as pro-education, said he would push for opening a Palmdale campus of Antelope Valley College and work to improve public safety.

Candidates for the one-year term express the following positions on key issues:

* Lee, 31, a high school graduate and community liaison officer for the city of Torrance, wants to better control city spending of tax dollars and promote youth recreational activities.

* Loa, 52, a graduate of Cal State Northridge and UCLA School of Law, said he would like to increase sheriff’s patrols, build a new sheriff’s station and work to attract a college to Palmdale.

* Root, 48, who served two terms on the council 1990-97, said he would maintain “the integrity of the General Plan,” work to improve senior housing and increase law enforcement and recreational facilities.

* College student Van Dyk, 18, said he is running to bring an independent voice to the Palmdale City Council.

* Zink did not respond to repeated requests over several days.