The City of Piedmont has a new Mayor.

On Friday, during a called-meeting, the city council voted to appoint Bill Baker to fill the unexpired term of Rick Freeman.

Baker had been Mayor Pro Tem.

After the meeting, Baker wrote on his Facebook page, “I just wanted you all to know that the council just voted and elected me to be mayor and finish the remaining 3 year term. I promise to work hard to bring in new jobs and clean up Piedmont. It will take all of us working together to make good things happen.”

Baker has more than 22 years experience on the council and when a previous mayor passed away in 1996 he filled in to finish the final year before an election was held.

Baker takes over following the resignation of Rick Freeman earlier this week.

Freeman has had life-long health problems, and those health issues are cited as the reason that he has chosen to step down.

Freeman had been Mayor less than a year.