Galt council adopts assessments for three landscape and lighting districts; Measure Q allocation questioned

The Galt City Council approved engineers' reports and levied annual assessments for three Landscape and Lighting Districts after a staff presentation and a public hearing that drew no speakers. Public Works Director Fritz Buckman walked the council through maps, parcel counts and assessment ranges: the Westside LLD includes 77 predominantly single-family parcels with assessments ranging from $36.62 to $221.80; the Northeast LLD covers just under 3,300 parcels with assessments from $51.70 to $301.85; LLD Number 3 includes 307 parcels and the proposed assessment for a single-family parcel was listed as $439.42, representing a $12.38 increase from last year. Buckman told council FY26–27 district expenses are projected to exceed revenues and noted the city's FY26–27 budget includes contributions to maintain service levels.

Council members asked whether services are provided by city staff or contractors (Buckman said much of the maintenance is handled by parks and public works and that streetlight maintenance is provided by a contract vendor) and questioned whether Measure Q funds are being used to supplement LLDs rather than remaining dedicated to parks and recreation. "That's like almost $2,000,000 out of the $4,000,000 that we're getting from Measure Q," one council member said, urging clarity on how the measure's resolution was intended to prioritize parks and landscaping. After discussion council voted to adopt the three resolutions and levy the assessments (voice and roll-call votes recorded); the motion passed 4–0.