San Ramon's Economic Development Advisory Committee will rewrite its bylaws and consider new ways to bring business to the city while helping keep current companies in business.

First, though, the group will have to revise its operating rules, since the two agencies it was created to support not longer exist.

"We have a whole list of to-dos," said Vice Chairman Lou Dagen. "We have to redo the bylaws because EDAC was a combination of the old redevelopment agency and the housing authority."

The bylaws were written in 2006; the rewrite is expected to be reviewed next month before going to City Council for approval.

The new bylaws will focus on the "top 10 most important things," said Marc Fontes, San Ramon's economic development director.

Fontes offered the group a detailed description of things he sees as needed.

Those include a new focus, which will be to advise City Council on "economic development aspects of projects and programs." EDAC members will also be charged with staying abreast of local economic development news.

Meetings will continue on the second Wednesday of the month, and despite a plan to cut the city budget, EDAC is expected to have budget of nearly $300,000.

During a lengthy discussion Wednesday night, the group discussed the possibility of surveying existing business owners to see if their needs were being met.

"If I were the retail spokesman for San Ramon, I would want the city to know my plans," said Richard Domanski, EDAC member at large.

Geoffrey Johnson, a business owner himself, pointed out that "there are still a lot of businesses that leave the city."

The group also brainstormed about what else it could do to promote business.

EDAC Member Michael Smart asked, for example, if the group is doing the branding and name recognition work that was part of its original mandate. He pointed to an article from Bloomberg news agency that described San Ramon as a city "on the outskirts of Silicon Valley."

Are you receiving Express, our free daily e-mail edition? See a sample and sign-up for Express.