The San Ramon City Council voted 4-0 on Jan. 6 to interview four finalists for the vacancy in Council District 2, selecting Richard Adler, Kyle Levy, Baljit Sewell and Tiffany Chu from a pool of 16 eligible applicants and scheduling public interviews for Friday, Jan. 10.

The council acted after a brief staff report from the city clerk that said the clerk’s office received 21 applications after the December vacancy posting; five applicants were later deemed ineligible because they did not reside in District 2 (one was registered to vote outside the city), leaving 16 qualified candidates. Public comment was opened and closed with no speakers.

Council members said they relied on similar criteria when choosing who to interview: clear, well-written applications; demonstrated service or volunteer experience in San Ramon (committees, commissions, nonprofit work); familiarity with city processes; and evidence of critical thinking and decision-making. Candidates’ recency of engagement and relevant transferable skills were also factors the council discussed.

After discussing their preferred interview process, the council approved a motion to interview the four named candidates on Jan. 10. The council also agreed on a public interview format and scheduling logistics: interviews will be public, the city clerk will notify candidates of the process and timing, and the interviews will be scheduled so each candidate has a dedicated time slot (the council agreed to allow some buffer time and tentatively scheduled 45-minute blocks to accommodate opening and closing remarks, council questions, and follow-ups). The clerk will circulate final details to candidates in an email.

Council members also discussed operational details for the interviews, including that each council member will prepare questions in advance, that the same set of base questions should be asked of every candidate to ensure fairness (with limited follow-ups for clarification), and that council members should bring extra questions in case of duplication. The council confirmed the full interview session will be open for public observation.

The council referred to prior meetings in which the appointment process and candidate expectations were discussed; one speaker noted a candidate (Harry Sachs) had indicated a willingness to serve only through the two-year interim and not run in 2026. The clerk will tally ballots and distribute interview materials to council members and candidates ahead of the Jan. 10 meeting.

No formal policy changes, ordinances or budget actions were taken at the Jan. 6 special meeting. The council adjourned after confirming the interviews and schedule.