Latest news with #GaltCityCouncil
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Galt City Council considers money to help Liberty Ranch boosters
May 31—GALT — A high school booster club is getting some financial help months after some $200,000 in funds were stolen. The Galt City Council will consider approving the allocation of $1,000 in public benefit funds from Vice Mayor Paul Sandhu to the Liberty Ranch Hawks Booster Club at its Tuesday, June 4 meeting. Sandhu asked for the funds to be allocated to the organization during the May 20 council meeting. "Their financial (situation), as everybody knows, is not that great," Sandhu said last week. "So I'd like to give my $1,000 to them." The Galt Joint Union High School District announced on March 20 that funds were found to be missing from the Liberty Ranch High School Sports Booster Club following an audit earlier in the month. The club filed a civil complaint against its former treasurer, Carmela Cuadrado Baker in Sacramento County Superior Court on March 20, along withe her husband Paul and 10 other named people. The suit alleges that Carmela Baker used by the club's debit card at 51 different businesses, with the largest coming at Instacart, where she spent more than $53,000. There were also purchases of more than $44,000 on Amazon, more than $27,000 at Walmart, nearly $18,000 at Costco and nearly $13,000 through PayPal. Other notable spending included more than $7,000 through AirBNB, nearly $7,000 at the City of Galt, $4,600 at Disneyland, nearly $5,000 at Save Mart and more than $3,000 at Stratton's Pizza. According to the suit, Carmela Baker is a para-educator at the Galt Joint Union Elementary School District who began volunteering with the Booster Club in 2019. The club raises and distributes funds for 17 athletic teams at Liberty Ranch High School through events and concessions at the Hawks Nest and Hawks Stadium. Money raised goes into a pool, which is then used to distribute to teams for equipment, team dinners, senior nights and banquets, among other events. Last June, the council agreed to re-establish the City Council Public Benefit Funds for the use of "worthy projects, programs, organizations, or other purposes of benefit to the community." Each council member was allotted $1,000 in a fiscal year for a grand total of $5,000 to be distributed. Said funds need to be used in full each fiscal year and cannot be rolled over. Tuesday's meeting begins at 6 p.m. at Galt City Hall, 380 Civic Drive. It will also be livestreamed at the council's YouTube channel,
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- Yahoo
Galt updates fireworks ordinance in effort to defuse potential damage
Apr. 17—In an effort to ensure property isn't damaged and people are not injured on Independence Day, the City of Galt is cracking down on illegal fireworks. The Galt City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved an updated ordinance that mandates illegal fireworks are prohibited, and that anyone in violation could be fined as much as $1,000. In addition, the ordinance states that property owners who host individuals using illegal fireworks will be held responsible for each individual device, facing fines of as much as $1,000 for each one. An officer who responds to an incident will have the authority to confiscate and destroy any firework on the property, including the "Safe and Sane" devices. TJ Guidotti, the city's code enforcement supervisor, said Galt's current ordinance regarding fireworks had not been updated in about 10 years, and Tuesday's action was to ensure reduction of the risk of fire, injuries and other damages. Updating the ordinance would also strengthen partnerships between Galt Police and Cosumnes Fire departments, whose officers and firefighters are typically busy during the days surrounding the Fourth of July holiday. "(Activities vary) From making sure every firework stand is licensed, every box being sold has the State Fire Marshal's stamp on it, and that at any given time these fireworks stands could be inspected," Guidotti said. Safe and Sane fireworks are the only devices allowed within the Galt city limits, and can only be sold, used or transported between noon on June 28 and 5 p.m. on July 5. Selling Safe and Sane fireworks also requires a city license. Safe and Sane fireworks are ground-based devices that do not fly or explode, such as fountains, sparklers, and certain types of ground spinners. Councilman Tim Reed, who has spent 27 years as a firefighter and EMT, said the 4th of July is one of the most stressful days for first responders because of the amount of incidents to which they report. "Anytime we can do something ahead of time to address things like this would be great," he said. "Just last Fourth of July, I sat watching fireworks and I saw houses on fire in Sacramento, and they didn't have units to send because they were all out responding to other things." Mayor Shawn Farmer said the ordinance was not designed to punish residents who use legal fireworks, adding he had friends who lost homes last summer, most likely due to illegal devices. "We're not here as a city council or city to cut in on the right to celebrate a patriotic holiday," he said. "We just ask that you use fireworks that are allowed, and not be reckless." The ordinance's adoption comes as Cosumnes Fire Chief Felipe Rodriguez reported Tuesday that there is a risk of a wildfire breaking out in the rural areas of Galt, as well as near seasonal waterways. However, he said any wildfire that ignites in the area will not be as disastrous as those in Altadena and Palisades, which were located in very high hazard zones. "We don't have any of those in Sacramento County," he said. "We have some moderate areas and areas of influence, but we don't have significant potential like they do in Palisades, where from sea level to the top of palisades is 2,000 feet of elevation. We're pretty flat here." Rodriguez said his staff responds to as many as 30 fires between Galt and Elk Grove around the Independence Say holiday. Crews typically respond to a few incidents on a normal day throughout the year, and answering more than 20 in a single day can be a lot to handle, he said. However, Rodriguez said Galt has 9 million gallons of water in storage that can be used to fight any fire that breaks out, and 1,152 working fire hydrants. He said his staff is currently working on a schedule to inspect each hydrant on an annual basis instead of the five year cycle currently in place.
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Residents pushing for more lenient property codes in Galt
Apr. 8—GALT — Several residents urged Galt city leaders to consider changing an ordinance last week that would allow them to keep boats, trailers and RVs on their properties. Currently, Galt's city code does not allow trailers, RVs, boats or inoperable vehicles on front lawns or driveways, or in side yards or backyards if they are large enough to hinder emergency access. The code also does not allow people to sleep in trailers, campers or motor homes that are parked on residential properties. The Galt City Council last week received a presentation to consider changing the code so residents could keep such vehicles in their driveways or side yards as long as they are registered and operable, with no flat tires or broken windows. "Our goal is to get to a point of compliance," code enforcement supervisor TJ Guidotti said. "Our goal is not to make people homeless, but we have to address this. We have to be consistent across the board." Guidotti said there are six cases of people living in RVs, on residential properties, that his department is currently investigating, all of which were complaint driven. He added that as much as 80% of the cases code enforcement investigates begin as public nuisance complaints. "Even when the RV is in compliance — it's in the backyard, it meets setbacks — we get calls about someone living back there," he said. Last week's presentation was also an opportunity for residents to weigh in about the ordinance. Guidotti said an RV in a driveway can potentially hurt property values, as those looking to buy a house perceive a visible vehicle as a negative aesthetic factor, especially if it's large or poorly maintained. He added that the vehicles, along with boats or trailers, could deter potential buyers from considering the purchase of a nearby home, and that vehicles parked prominently in the driveway for extended periods can impact a property's overall curb appeal. "SUVs, full-sized pickup trucks or vans are all legal to park in your driveway, and they can block your view just as much, and in many cases, more than a boat or an RV," resident David Givens said. "They're not more of an obscurant than other vehicles." Rich Lozano was one of a handful of residents who supported keeping the ordinance in place, stating it was not merely a set of regulations, but the city's commitment to preserving the quality of life, property values and aesthetic appeal in Galt. "As many of you know, I'm not one for the government telling me what to do, in any case," he said. "However, I think this is a case of quality of life. Front lawns and driveways littered with boats, trailers and inoperative vehicles create an unsightly environment that affects all residents. Such conditions can lead to a sense of neglect and disorder, undermining the pride we take in the community's appearance." David Bruckner said many Galtonians do not have the ability or space to store their vehicles elsewhere, and added that he did not know of any studies or reports that proved they increased or decreased property values. "We don't have a big enough side yard or backyard," he said. "I'm hoping you can make some exceptions to allow us to keep our property on our property, whether it's the back yard or front yard, as long as it's not leaking or presents some other safety issue." Keith Jones also supported keeping the ordinance as is, stating large vehicles in driveways or side yards are not only aesthetically unappealing, but can cause safety concerns among residents. A homeless individual, he said, could sleep in an uncovered boat without a property owner knowing, or a prowler could hide between bushes and vehicles in the middle of the night. "It's not the city's right to be judge and jury on deciding whether something is nice or acceptable to be in a yard," he said. "That's why (the ordinance) needs to be black and white. Hence, the code, for 30 years, has always been we don't allow it." The council was not tasked with approving or denying Guidotti's presentation, but vice mayor Paul Sandhu called for the issue to be placed on a future agenda for further discussion, given mayor Shawn Farmer was unable to attend last week's meeting. "All the comments (from the public) are very important to me, and they are very important to the rest of the council," he said. "Every council member can have a chance to review this. This is a big decision, and I'd like to make that decision with all five of us present."
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
The vote is in as City of Galt readies for district elections
Mar. 22—The Galt City Council will hold a special meeting in the next week to approve new voting district boundary lines, marking a new era in elections. The council on Tuesday selected a proposed final map during a fifth and final public hearing that separates the city into five voting districts for the 2026 election. The map, submitted by a Galt resident and referred to as the "Speer Map," was slightly tweaked by the council before final boundaries were set. The proposed first council district will encompass the westernmost portion of Galt west of the Union Pacific Railroad tracks, while the second district will be made up of the southern end of the city south of New Hope Road. The third district will include north Galt between UPRR and Highway 99, as well south of Amador Avenue on the eastern side of the highway. It will also include the area adjacent to the eastern side of the highway north of Amador Avenue. The fourth district will encompass the areas east of Highway 99 to Carllion Boulevard and some neighborhoods south of Amador Avenue. The fifth district will include the northeastern part of Galt east of Carillion Boulevard. The city contracted with Sacramento-based Redistricting Partners to help with the process, and Elizabeth Stitt, redistricting manager with Redistricting Partners, the firm assisting the city with the process, said if the map is ultimately selected, the three odd-numbered district seats will be up for election in 2026, and the remaining two in 2028. "Once 2028 happens, the map is fully adopted," she said. "So there will be two years when you're in a hybrid system of two at-large members and three districted members. City staff said the map must be published for at least seven days before the council can vote to approve boundaries. The map must be approved before April 1, staff said. The map is in response to a letter the city received last August claiming Galt's current at-large system of voting dilutes the ability of Latino voters to elect candidates of their choice or to otherwise influence the outcome of an election. The letter, drafted by the Shenkman & Hughes law firm on behalf of the Southwest Voter Registration Education Project, also claimed the at-large elections violate the California Voting Rights Act, which became law in 2003 and attempts to prevent the disenfranchisement of protected classes. A protected class, staff said, is comprised of voters who are members of a race, color, or language minority group. City staff said the letter was a prerequisite to having a lawsuit filed against it, and something no other agency has successfully defended. "No matter what map we have, we have to make a map that's compliant," Mayor Shawn Farmer said. "Obviously we have a lot of growth happening in Galt and these maps — some of these districts are going to be out of whack in the the next two years before our next census." A date and time for the council's special meeting has not been announced. To view the proposed map, visit
Yahoo
20-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
City of Galt moving to five election districts
Feb. 20—Galt residents will not be selecting a mayor in future elections. The Galt City Council on Tuesday directed staff and consulting firm Redistricting Partners to draft maps with five election districts and present the final renderings at the March 4 meeting. The maps are part of answer to a letter the city received in August claiming Galt's current at-large system of voting dilutes the ability of Latino voters to elect candidates of their choice or to otherwise influence the outcome of an election. The letter, drafted by the Shenkman & Hughes law firm on behalf of the Southwest Voter Registration Education Project, also claimed the at-large elections violate the California Voting Rights Act, which became law in 2003 and attempts to prevent the disenfranchisement of protected classes. A protected class, staff said, is comprised of voters who are members of a race, color, or language minority group. City staff said the letter was a prerequisite to having a lawsuit filed against it, and something no other agency has successfully defended. To avoid a lawsuit, the council in October voted to transition from at-large elections to district elections by April 8. The council had been given the option to move to four districts with an elected at-large mayor, or five districts with a rotating mayor. Councilmembers Mathew Pratton, Tim Reed and Bonnie Rodriguez favored a five-district election, stating that because Galt was still a relatively small town, there was no need to elect an at-large mayor. Pratton feared that opening the city to an elected mayor could produce a victor who ran for power more than for the good of the people. "It's hard to get people to run in this town," he said. "It's a lot of work and most people don't want to do it. To get them to run for mayor is going to be even harder. And I think it narrows us down to folks possibly with ulterior motives." Although Reed favored a five-district council, he thought the division would actually encourage more people to seek office. Resident Paul Salinas favored breaking the council into four districts and electing a mayor who would ultimately have the final decision on issues during meetings. "The buck stops with one person," he said. "We are familiar with a system — if you look at the federal and state elections — we vote for president. We vote for governor. If you look at your staff there's always a senior person in charge. Someone has to take responsibility. Someone has to take the lead." At previous meetings, Chris Brossman favored splitting the council into five districts. But at Tuesday's meeting, he began leaning toward four districts and a mayor, again expressing concern if someone did not run for a particular seat. "The other side to that is, you guys aren't exactly paid handsomely, so maybe we should look at the mayor's salary and increase it over double, because his time is going to be more encompassing," he said. Vice Mayor Paul Sandhu also favored four districts and a mayor, but said he would go along with what the majority of the council decided. "We have the opportunity to give more power to the residents," he said of electing a mayor. "And then in the districts, everybody can be their own district. With you running for just one district, someone with a problem will call you, and you can say 'that's my problem and I can solve it.'" Once a final map is selected, council seats in districts 1, 3 and 5 will be up for election in 2026. Seats for districts 2 and 4 will be up for election in 2028. The council will assign district numbers specific areas at a future meeting.
