GALT, CA (MPG) - Galt City Councilman Shawn Farmer was selected Tuesday night by his fellow council members as the city’s new mayor. 

Farmer was first elected to the council to one of the five at-large council positions in 2018. He will serve in the position for one year before the council selects a new mayor. 

“I am humbled that you would put me in this position,” Farmer said shortly after being appointed as mayor. “I know it’s not easy; I do appreciate that.” 

Farmer will replace Councilman Paul Sandhu in the role, who was selected as vice-mayor later that night. 

Farmer, a Galt native whose family stretches back to the area for the past four generations, owns the Coffee Shop Bakery in old town Galt and has served on several local boards and committees, including the Sacramento Public Library Authority, Sacramento Homeless Policy Council and the Galt Public Safety Committee. 

According to City Council bylaws, every year, the council is given the opportunity to select a new mayor and vice- mayor by nominating one of their peers for the positions. The first council member to get three votes for one of the seats is appointed to the position. 

Councilman Tim Reed first nominated Farmer, who subsequently called on Sandhu to return to his previous post. Sandhu instead requested “his good friend,” Farmer to withdraw his nomination to which Farmer declined. 

Ultimately, the council voted in favor of Farmer.

The role is largely symbolic under the city’s weak-mayor form of government but the appointee does help run the council meetings and acts almost as the city’s de facto spokesman. 

Reed also nominated Sandhu for vice-mayor. 

Sandhu, who owns a local Best Western with his wife, Amy Sandu, was first elected in 2018 and has called Galt home for more than 25 years. 

He has also served on several local boards, including the Galt Chamber of Commerce, the Galt Sunrise Rotary and Galt Shop Local boards. 

“I want to say to Mr. Sandhu, thank you for your kind gesture and if I was to be the mayor, I definitely wouldn’t want anyone else to be my backup but you,” said Farmer.