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San Bruno Mayor To Step Down; No One Yet Running To Replace Him

SAN BRUNO (CBS SF) – San Bruno Mayor Jim Ruane announced on Monday that he intends to step down at the end of his current term, but the filing deadline for the upcoming election is a week away and so far no one is running for the position, according to City Clerk Carol Bonner.

Ruane has served on the City Council since 1995, and he was most recently re-elected for a two-year term as mayor in 2015. That term expires in November, according to the city's website.

"I really hadn't planned on doing it quite this long," Ruane said Tuesday morning.

"It's just about time for me to spend more time with my family," he said. "I have four grandsons and a business I run every day."

As mayor, Ruane helped lead the city through the tragedy of the PG&E pipeline explosion that killed eight people and destroyed dozens of homes on Sept. 9, 2010.

He spoke earlier this year at the sentencing hearing for PG&E on criminal convictions of violating pipeline safety laws and obstructing an investigation into the explosion. In other proceedings, the utility has paid $70 million in compensation to San Bruno and hundreds of millions to settle survivors' civil cases.

"I ran for mayor I guess eight years ago and won handily, and then the world blew up," Ruane said. "I just wanted to see the PG&E thing through with consistency for our city."

The filing deadline to apply for Ruane's soon-to-be-vacant position is coming up on Aug. 16 -- just eight days away. It would typically be on Aug. 11, but the deadline has been extended five days since the incumbent is not running for re-election.

Some potential applicants have "pulled papers," or picked up an application packet, but so far none of them have filed their paperwork, Bonner said.

"I'm sure somebody will step up to run," Bonner said. "I really think someone will."

To run for mayor, candidates must be residents of San Bruno who are over 18 years old and registered to vote in San Bruno. They also need 20 signatures from registered San Bruno voters on the nomination form.

There is no cost to run, but for candidates who wish to have a statement printed in the sample ballot for this year's election, the cost is $550, Bonner said.

© Copyright 2017 by CBS San Francisco and Bay City News Service. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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