Hofbauer honored at last AVTA meeting before taking new job
LANCASTER — Antelope Valley Transit Authority Executive Director/CEO Martin Tompkins and the Board of Directors honored outgoing Director Steve Hofbauer, Tuesday morning, at his last meeting.
“Director Hofbauer, for your nine years of service on the Board of Directors, we thank you for what you’ve done in the past nine years,” Tompkins said.
He presented Hofbauer with a plaque for his service.
“I want to thank Steve for his vivacious comments throughout my tenure on the AVTA,” Board Chairman Marvin Crist said. “We’ve argued pretty much about everything that we’re doing and we’ve come out with a better solution.”
Crist added, in reference to a comment made by a member of the public, that Hofbauer and the rest of the Board are there to serve the general public.
“Steve has been a die-hard everything,” Crist said, noting the different boards that he and Hofbauer serve on together as members of the Lancaster and Palmdale city councils.
“We don’t see eye to eye a lot of times, but we do see the light at the end of the
tunnel for the community and we work for the better end,” Crist said.
Hofbauer declined comment after the meeting.
He served on AVTA’s Board of Directors through his position as Palmdale mayor. Hofbauer is the last directly-elected mayor for the City of Palmdale. He was unable to run for re-election.
The City Council, in March, voted to change its format, moving to Council seats elected from five districts, with the mayor’s seat rotating annually among the Council. Hofbauer lives in the same District as Mayor Pro Tem Richard Loa. Loa’s seat will be up for election, in November 2024.
Hofbauer ran for a shortterm seat on the Antelope Valley Healthcare District Board of Directors. He was the top vote-getter among three candidates, according to the most recent numbers posted by the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk.
As of Tuesday afternoon, Hofbauer had a 375 vote lead over Dr. Jawad Bermani. Hofbauer had 23,280 votes, or 34.51%, followed by Bermani with 22,905 votes, or 33.95%, and former director Mateo Olivarez with 21,273 votes, or 31.54%.