New Street Sweeper, Conflict-of-Interest Policies Up for Consideration at Tonight's Council Meeting

City Council members at a meeting tonight will consider requiring more of San Ramon's public committees to comply with the Fair Political Practices Commission rules.

The Economic Development Advisory Committee and the city's Open Space Task Force would have to comply with the commission's conflict-of-interest codes, if council members agree to the proposed change tonight. Both of those local committees are filled by appointment and weigh in on policy changes and city planning.

That means that from tonight, if council approves it, members of the advisory committee and the open-space task force will have to file financial disclosures every year, like other public officials.

Also on the agenda

• City Council members are slated to let the city buy $200,000 street sweeper, the first of seven of the oldest city vehicles planned for replacement this year.
• The annual League of California Cities conference takes place in mid-September, and in addition to the mayor attending, San Ramon has to send a voting delegate and two alternates. So far, Councilman Dave Hudson has said he's available. Council members tonight will vote on whom to send to the event sponsored by the league, which gives financial backing to ballot measures that support municipal interests.
• San Ramon recently hired a new city attorney, Sheryl Schaffner, so council members are set to vote on an agreement to contract her legal services. Separately, the council will consider whether to spend an additional $25,000 to hire law firm Best Best & Kreiger to help the new attorney with her transition. The council had an existing agreement to pay the firm some $350,000 this past year. Schaffner will make some $10,152 to $15,618per month, according to city spokeswoman Cheryl Wade.
•  Work on a storage shed at Forest Home Farms was recently completed, so council members will vote to accept the contractor's notice of completion for the $322,000 project.
• Council will also decide whether to accept the notice of completion for the $625,000 renovation this year at Central Park.

The City Council meets at 7 p.m. tonight at 2222 Camino Ramon. To view the complete agenda, click here.