Mar. 10—GALT — The Galt District Chamber of Commerce has proposed a plan to raise its profile and attract visitors from throughout California and beyond.

Madison Delbrugge and Bonnie Rodriguez, the chamber's president and treasurer, respectively, presented the organization's Visit Galt Initiative during the Galt City Council's Tuesday meeting.

The initiative, they said, would promote the "Great Little American Town" through a variety of marketing efforts to help Galt become a destination city.

If launched, the initiative would emphasize Galt's key attractions, foster relationships with business and city partners in the area, and develop a consistent marketing plan.

Rodriguez said many Galt businesses still haven't recovered from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the unsteady economy and drop in tourism are creating new challenges for them to stay open.

"With the growth and development of our city, Galt has the opportunity to position itself as a unique and quaint spot for commuters, travelers and regional neighbors to stay for lunch, a day trip or an overnight stay," she said.

Some marketing strategies the chamber has planned include promoting Galt at the Sacramento International Airport, Delbrugge said. She suggested placing movable cow statues at places like the Gallery at SMF or on a luggage carousel, which would then pique the curiosities of visitors to the state.

The cows, she said, would be representative of the city's Herd on the Street display, which consists of several decorated cows standing on Galt sidewalks.

At the airport, travelers would see the cows, scan a QR code, and receive a message to visit Galt, along with things to do in the city.

Delbrugge said the city could also place a 6-10 second ad on video screens at the airport, which currently promotes trips to the Jelly Belly Factory in Fairfield, as well as Marin County and Vallejo. However, Delbrugge said the Visit Galt initiative needs a starting location, and proposed a physical visitor center in the downtown area.

"It's a matter of time and resources, and we know the city doesn't have an abundance of that at the moment," she said. "We don't either, but with additional staff we are hoping to get, we would definitely be well equipped to handle visitor services."

Delbrugge said the chamber is applying for storefront space on 4th Street in Downtown Galt for the proposed visitor center.

If the organization acquires the space, it will need an executive director, and Delbrugge asked the city for $500,000 in helping launch the initiative.

Of that $500,000, which is available through American Recovery Program Act funds, $150,000 would be used to run the visitor center, and $100,000 would be used to launch an advertising campaign, Delbrugge said.

Another $200,000 would be used for the executive director's salary over the next three to four years until the chamber is self-sufficient enough to fund the position itself.

In addition, she suggested the city and chamber agree to a memorandum of understanding in which 30% of Galt's transient occupancy tax is provided to the organization with a minimum contribution of $100,000 a year.

Resident Phyllis Johnson supported the marketing idea, and said the only way it can get off the ground is if the chamber developed the visitor center.

"We can take a negative and turn it into a great positive," she said. "For instance, when we've had bad weather and there have been detours, (travelers have) got to get off (Highway) 99. They don't know where they are. But they'll see a visitor center, and they'll (think) 'they can help'."

Johnson added the visitor center will direct travelers to restaurants, hotels and places of interest, which would generate revenue for local businesses and the city.

"I think this is something, whether or not the council agrees with this idea... I do think it's time to brand ourselves where something needs to be done," councilman Shawn Farmer said. "We can't just sit back and do nothing, moving forward."

Councilman Kevin Papineau said the initiative was similar to a program he had suggested to the city manager in the past, and was pleased to see the chamber develop larger ideas.

"You've obviously done your work and have detailed some of the questions as to why do people come to Galt," he said.

"When you put this together with commuters, travelers, day trips and overnight stays, you're getting down to some specifics we can work with. I appreciate that."

The chamber's initiative and funding proposal will most likely be placed on a future agenda for council approval.