GALT, CA (MPG) - The next chapter for the Galt City Council materialized at Tuesday’s council meeting after three new Galt City Council members were sworn into office, just weeks after one of the seats was decided in unusual fashion: a straw drawing.

Mathew Pratton and Bonnie Rodriguez joined Tim Reed as the newest faces on the council, replacing council members Jay Vandenburg and Kevin Papineau. Both opted not to return to the council after their four-year terms ended in December. The trio joined council members Paul Sandhu and Shawn Farmer on the five-person board.

Former Councilman Rich Lozano resigned from the board in December and was replaced by Rodriguez, who joined the council after the other four members voted to appoint and swear in the candidate later that night. 

Pratton, a former Galt Union High School District trustee and Galt High School football coach, was propelled to Galt City Council on Dec. 3 after he successfully drew the long straw in a tiebreaker with Rodriguez. Both candidates collected 3,882 votes each out of the 13,684 ballots cast, according to Sacramento County election officials. 

“I know politics as it is can get kind of crazy and I have seen people comment that they think it is crazy that we did it the way that we did,” Pratton said. “Well, tell me a better way to do it.”

Galt City Clerk Tina Hubert said the drawing, conducted by Galt Police Chief Brian Kalinowski, required just a $3 pack of straws and avoided an at least $150,000-plus special election.  

Rodriguez wouldn’t have to wait long for her opportunity to join the dais. 

Farmer, who later that night was elected Galt mayor, recommended Rodriguez for Lozano’s vacant seat, noting that the 3,882 votes she collected was the highest of any “losing” candidate in Galt history and more than he and Sandhu received in their successful bids for election.

“I think the voters have spoken,” Farmer said before recommending Rodriguez. “If 3,800 people wanted Ms. Rodriguez to be a councilmember, then we should honor that and appoint her.”  

Rodriguez, the former publisher of The Galt Herald, said it meant a lot that the fellow councilors decided to make the appointment. 

“I’m happy to be in a position to serve my fellow constituents and finally, instead of reporting on those positions to be able to be part of the decision,” Rodrigeuz said. 

While Rodriguez said she doesn’t have a particular mission to undertake on the council, she intends to ensure that Galt grows mindfully as it awaits nearly 3,000 housing units to come online in the upcoming years. 

Pratton said he’s happy with the direction that the city has taken but expects during his term to have to focus on outgoing personnel concerns and positions that currently are filled with interim leadership.

“During my time, I expect there to be four or five top positions that need to be filled,” Pratton said. “So I hope to have some input and be able to help.” 

Reed, a retired emergency response professional, had a much easier path to his council seat, collecting 5,870 votes (43.05% of ballots cast). Reed also ran for office in 2022, coming in last in a five-person race with some 16% of the vote. 

Reed said he felt relief that the campaign is over but understands that his work as a councilor is only just beginning. 

“It’s a different job that I have never had before so it’s a different opportunity,” Reed said.  

Reed said he plans to focus on several issues ranging from improving public safety, parks improvements and improving government transparency when it comes to public funds. 

He also intends to focus on connecting the town’s homeless population with available public services. 

“We being the city of Galt, we don’t have a lot of money to provide all the services like a city like Sacramento and all these other places,” Reed said. “But all those services are already out there provided by the county; we just have to find a way to connect our homeless populations to the services that are already out there.” 

Outgoing councilors Vandenburg and Papineau were thanked for their service and received plaques from the city before the new councilors were sworn in.