GALT, CA (MPG) - Business owners, community members and agency officials gathered July 31 at Papas & Wings for the Galt Chamber of Commerce’s annual State of the City event, where local leaders discussed the city’s progress and priorities.

City officials spoke about their departments, provided updates on ongoing projects and goals and addressed community issues.

Chamber board president Kari Markel delivered the welcome remarks and noted that this year’s event had the highest attendance on record. She thanked event sponsors California Resources Corporation, Carbon Terravault, the City of Galt and SMUD (Sacramento Municipal Utility District).

 

Galt Chamber of Commerce board president Kari Markel, left, with Jim Alves of SMUD, delivered the welcome remarks at the State of the City July 31, noting that this year’s event had the highest attendance on record. Photo by Fell Together Photography

Markel acknowledged dignitaries in attendance, which included representatives of lawmakers, county officials and Cosumnes Community Services District board members. 

“From public safety and infrastructure to business development and quality of life, today’s conversations will shape the road ahead for Galt,” said Markel.

SMUD board member Rosanna Herber was first to address the audience.

“Although I don’t represent Galt, I feel like I represent everyone in the SMUD service territory,” Herber said.

While SMUD is valued at nearly $2 billion, Herber said, it remains a community-owned company. Herber shared that the SMUD board committed to ensuring at least 20% of all contracting goes to local businesses within its service territory in Sacramento County.

“So we made that commitment, we followed it and I’m proud to say that last year we did 30%,” Herber said. “That means more than $200 million went to local SMUD businesses.”

 

Business owners, community members and agency officials gathered July 31 at Papas & Wings for the Galt Chamber of Commerce’s annual State of the City event. Photo by Fell Together Photography

Herber also discussed SMUD’s zero-carbon emissions program, which offers rebates to residents replacing gas-powered appliances such as water heaters, lighting and HVAC systems.

Mayor Shawn Farmer followed, reflecting on Galt’s challenges and progress during his six-and-a-half years on the City Council, including his tenure as mayor. Farmer cited issues such as the 2018 wastewater spill, contract complications and the city finance director’s abrupt departure, which led to a financial crisis.

Farmer mentioned that the 2019 cyberattack disrupted the police department and several other city departments. Then came the COVID-19 pandemic, which had a lasting impact on the community in all aspects. The tragic passing of Galt Police Officer Harminder Grewal in 2021 left an emotional hit on the police department and neighbors.

“I think all of you get the understanding of the difficult path that we had to get to where we are today,” Farmer said.

“Over the last couple of years, I feel like we have set ourselves on a course going in a very positive direction,” Farmer said, noting the city has stabilized finances and introduced new revenue sources such as Measure Q that supports funding for parks and recreation.

Ongoing projects were highlighted, such as a new water slide, renovated skate park and beautification efforts, including the C Street completion. 

Farmer commended recent upgrades to water and wastewater systems and said the Galt Police Department is at “the best it has ever been.”

Next, Interim City Manager Chris Erias reported that the finance department has since recovered the city from the financial dilemma. The department was recently recognized, receiving awards for budgeting and accounting. He also credited the human resources team for helping to foster a healthy workplace culture in Galt.

Assistant City Manager Amie Mendes followed and spoke on housing, planning and economic development. She said the department introduced a new online building permit portal and streamlined processes for accessory dwelling units (ADUs), including pre-approved designs now available online.

Mendes addressed concerns about the pace of local development, explaining that projects such as Liberty Ranch, Elliot Ranch, Greenwood Cottages, Summerfield, Fairway Oaks, Parlin Oaks and Dry Creek (a 55-plus community) have been in planning for years and are just now breaking ground.

Assistant City Manager Amie Mendes spoke on housing, planning and economic development during the State of the City event on July 31. Courtesy photo

While growth remains at a slow 0.66% annually, Mendes said, residents have expressed demand for more retail and dining, which the city is working to attract.

Mendes also highlighted a two-year agreement with the chamber of commerce that includes funding for tourism materials, small business workshops and a mural program in Old Town.

“These are really great investments in our community,” Mendes said, adding that support for downtown and local businesses remains a priority.

She emphasized the importance of living-wage jobs and noted a growing focus on industrial development. Land is being prepared for future industrial use, and plans are underway to revitalize the city’s sports complex to attract more tournaments and tourism.

A major goal is improving the connectivity between Old Town and the Galt Market area through the “Old Town Visionary Plan,” which includes pedestrian and bike-friendly access to and from both locations.

On the retail front, Mendes mentioned the Galt Ranch Retail Center (formerly Simmerhorn Commercial Center) located east of Highway 99 has plans under review that include a Quick Quack Car Wash, Panda Express and three other fast-food businesses to be announced later.

Public Works Director John Griffin continued with a presentation of current updates on infrastructure. Completed projects include improvements to C, D and Fourth streets as well as the Industrial Water Treatment Plant Well and expansion project.

Upcoming work includes the Old Town water main replacement, UV disinfection system replacement and a recycled water study. Roadway safety and transportation improvements are also underway and in their design phase.

Parks and Recreation Director Armando Solis discussed the Parks Master Plan that has projects in the works, thanks to Measure Q funding. He explained that this funding, 1% sales tax residents passed in 2022, will help the department with an estimated $4 million this year alone to help rebuild the park system.

“This process, that was started last year, will examine the community wants and needs for evaluating our current programs, facilities, services and finances to enhance our community,” said Solis. 

City officials spoke about their departments, provided updates on ongoing projects and goals and addressed community issues during the State of the City event July 31, hosted by the Galt Chamber of Commerce. Photo by Fell Together Photography. Photo by Idaly Valencia

Police Chief Brian Kalinowski spoke on efforts in public safety and milestones for the police department.

“We have 39 sworn officers and 17 civilian personnel that handled nearly 15,000 calls for service annually,” said Kalinowski.

He noted the emphasis on traffic enforcement in the community, which has become a priority especially with grant funding from the Office of Traffic Safety that allowed traffic stops to increase by 57% this year.

Kalinowski said that there were 112 DUI (Driving Under the Influence) arrests, which was double the number from last year. He acknowledged the improved response times to emergencies, with 94.2% of 9-1-1 calls being answered within 10 seconds. 

Lastly, Kalinowski touched on the department’s use of cutting-edge technology, including drones and a virtual assistant for emergency calls, which has positioned the Galt Police Department as a leader in innovation. As a result, the department was invited to present in San Jose to the California Police Chiefs Association as part of a national movement to reduce workload in dispatch centers.

Cosumnes Community Services District Fire Department Chief Felipe Rodriguez shared data on calls for service in Galt and surrounding areas. Over the past 12 months, Fire Stations 45 and 46 responded to 3,935 emergency incidents, an approximate 7.5% increase from the previous year, with two fire engines and ambulances handling the calls.

Rodriguez also announced that the Cosumnes Community Services District Fire Department is close to receiving accreditation from the Commission on Fire Accreditation International (CFAI), a milestone that has been in development for some time.

Former Mayor Paul Sandhu was the final speaker at the event. He expressed appreciation for the progress made and discussed during the event, and thanked city and local agency officials for their contributions toward making Galt a great place to live and work.

 

Former Mayor Paul Sandhu was the final speaker at the State of the City event on July 31 at Papas & Wings. Courtesy photo