SAN RAMON — Incumbents Dave Hudson and Jim Livingstone edged out their challengers and retained their seats on the San Ramon City Council, according to unofficial election results. With all precincts reporting, Hudson, 61, and Livingstone, 66, received 38 and 32 percent of the vote, respectively, holding off newcomers Doug Burr, 42, and Jim Brady, 49.

The challengers promised change. Brady promoted environmentally friendly ideas for the city, like broader use of solar power. Burr said he wanted a more transparent city government that works with its residents.

Hudson and Livingstone, who have served 12 and six years on the council, respectively, promised to keep the city financially stable and to make sure projects such as San Ramon's City Center are completed.

The two top two finishers will have plenty of work ahead of them: the City Center project, the Tassajara Valley, and deciding how to continue to provide services in an economic downturn.

During the campaign, Livingstone, who is retired, said one of his most important goals was to keep San Ramon financially stable. He also said he would continue his support of the construction of the City Center, a 2 million-square-foot project that would create a downtown for the 26-year-old city. He said it would help the local economy by bringing jobs during its construction and when businesses set up shop.

Livingstone also said San Ramon should have a say in anything that is

Burr, a management consultant who lives in Dougherty Valley, objects to development in Tassajara Valley. He said the city needs to obey its own growth boundaries. He campaigned for more city transparency too, and said the city spends about $90 million on contracts each year that should be made easily available to the public.

Burr's first foray into city politics was about two years ago, when he tried to get the city to put more stop signs and lower speed limits in his neighborhood.

Challenger Brady said the city needs to be better at harnessing and using renewable energy.

This was Brady's first run for a San Ramon council seat, but he had served six years on the Ojai Valley Sanitary District board. He works for a solar energy company.

Hudson, 61, an incumbent who is retired, has been on the council for 12 years. Like Livingstone, during the campaign he said making sure the City Center is constructed is a priority.

San Ramon Mayor H. Abram Wilson, whose seat was also up for election, was unchallenged. This is his last time running for this seat. He will be termed out in 2011. Wilson is also seeking the Republican nomination for Assembly District 15 seat in 2010.

Reach Sophia Kazmi at 925-847-2122. Follow her at twitter.com/sophiakazmi.