CITY COUNCIL'S MEETING DATES TO CHANGE.

Byline: Jim Skeen  Staff Writer

PALMDALE - The City Council is expected to change its meeting dates beginning in March.

Council members plan to switch meetings from the second and fourth Monday nights of each month to the first and third Wednesday nights.

Wednesday nights had been the council's traditional meeting time, but meetings were changed in 2004 to Monday nights to accommodate Councilman Richard Loa's job in Sacramento with the Schwarzenegger administration.

Loa did not seek re-election in November, so the council decided to switch back to Wednesday nights.

The switch in what weeks the meetings will be held was made to avoid a conflict for Councilman Steve Hofbauer, who attends meetings of the Orangeline Development Authority on the second Wednesday. The authority is working on creating a high-speed train link between Los Angeles and Orange counties.

To make the change, council members must vote on it at both of their January meetings. The change will come up for a first vote Jan. 9 and then the final vote Jan. 23. It will take effect 30 days after the second vote.

Jim Skeen, [phone]

james.skeen(at)dailynews.com