RULES COMMITTEE: 4/8/2026
Item: B.1
File ID: ROGC 26-146
TO: Honorable Mayor & FROM: Toni J. Taber, MMC
City Council City Clerk
SUBJECT: The Public Record DATE: April 8, 2026
March 26, 2026 – April 2, 2026
ITEMS FILED FOR THE PUBLIC RECORD
Letters from Boards, Commissions, and Committees
Letters from the Public
1. Letter from Steve Smith, dated March 26, 2026, regarding: Supporting Minh Le's letter to help San Jose elevate its Welcoming City status.
2. Letter from Lucille Boone, dated March 28, 2026, regarding: Subject: Support Older Adult Health and Wellness Programs.
____________________________
Toni J. Taber, MMC
City Clerk
TJT/tt
This message is from outside the City email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources. about how we honor the history and contributions of communities that are part of the fabric of our city.
I believe his perspective deserves careful attention. If you feel similarly, I would encourage you to consider sharing your own thoughts with the Mayor, City Council, or City Manager. Even a brief note, in your own voice, can help ensure that this issue is given the thoughtful consideration it warrants.
I am sharing this in the spirit of supporting a constructive and values-based resolution.
Thank you for taking the time to read and consider.
Best regards,
Stephen S Smith
Chair, Board of Trustees, Computer History Muiseum
3/30/26, 11:42 AM Inbox - Rules and Open Government Committee Agendas - Outlook https://outlook.office365.com/mail/[email protected]/inbox/id/AAQkADhhYzk3NTk1LTBmZDAtNDc4Yi1hN2Q0LTZjNmZjNTk5MT… 2/2 Welcoming City 4-Star Recognition—and a Way to Move Toward 5 Stars Minh Le Mon, Mar 23, 2026 at 9:51 AM
To: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected] Dear Mayor Mahan, Councilmembers, and City Manager Maguire, I am resending my message below to ensure it reaches the appropriate recipients. It appears that my earlier email did not reach the City Manager’s office due to an incorrect address.
For completeness and transparency, I am also copying the City Clerk.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Respectfully,
Minh Le
************************************************************************ Mayor Mahan, Councilmembers, and City Manager Maguire,
I am writing to congratulate you and the City of San José on your recertification as a “4-Star Certified Welcoming Community.” This recognition is well deserved.
For decades, San José has been shaped and strengthened by people from around the world. Its commitment to inclusion, belonging, and opportunity has made it not only a center of innovation but a place where diverse communities can take root and thrive.
Over the past three decades, as a leadership and organizational effectiveness consultant, I have had the privilege of working alongside City leaders and staff. I have consistently observed a culture grounded in principled leadership, collaboration, and a genuine commitment to serving all residents with fairness and respect.
That culture matters. It builds trust—and trust is what sustains a truly welcoming city.
The Vietnamese refugee community is part of that story. Over the past half century, refugees have rebuilt their lives here and contributed meaningfully to the cultural and civic fabric of San José. The Viet Museum stands as a testament to that journey.
I have appreciated the efforts made over the past 15 months—first by the Mayor’s Chief of Staff and then by your Deputy City Manager—to address the closure of the Viet Museum and to work toward preserving this important community asset.
At the same time, I would respectfully share an important perspective.
There is a general understanding within the community that History San Jose is under contract with the City to operate the Historic Park. However, its actions over the past 15 months regarding the Viet Museum have created the impression that it is exercising power and authority far beyond what is contemplated in that agreement.
This perception was reinforced early on, when History San Jose communicated that the closure decision came from the Mayor’s Office—an assertion later clarified and retracted. While that correction was important, the initial mischaracterization left a lasting impression and blurred the line between the City and its contractor.
When actions perceived as unjust—and a pattern of shifting and confusing signals—are not clearly addressed, there is a risk that the community experiences those actions as coming from the City leadership itself.
In moments like this, clarity and accountability matter. Distinguishing the City’s role from that of History San Jose—and holding each appropriately accountable—would go a long way toward restoring trust.
Concerns within the community regarding interference in Viet Museum governance, denial of access to its legitimate stewards, and unilateral decisions affecting the future of the museum warrant clear, transparent, and goodfaith engagement.
The absence of that engagement has been deeply felt.
In particular, a written threat by the CEO of History San Jose to cancel the existing Viet Museum agreement and issue an RFP to replace the current nonprofit operator is deeply concerning. Such an action would undermine established stewardship, disregard community trust, and raise serious questions about governance, fairness, and respect for the institution that built and sustained the museum over decades.
It raises legitimate questions about whether the agreement between the City and History San Jose permits actions that appear inconsistent with San José’s Welcoming City values. I do not believe that any of you would knowingly support such actions. If the current agreement allows for them, it should be revisited and revised to ensure alignment with the City’s stated values and commitments.
Because the strength of San José’s “Welcoming City” designation ultimately rests not only on certification, but on whether every community feels that their history is respected and their place in the city is secure.
San José has earned its reputation as a Welcoming City.
This is an opportunity to reaffirm it—and move toward a 5-Star standard.
I urge you to direct staff to:
Rebuild trust with the Vietnamese refugee community through clarity and transparency regarding the Viet Museum.
Hold History San Jose accountable for past practices that have not aligned with San José’s Welcoming City values.
Reopen the Viet Museum and be welcoming again to the people and organization that have been entrusted for nearly half a century with this sacred responsibility.
I am grateful for your leadership and thank you for your continued commitment to a city where all communities can belong and thrive.
Respectfully,
Minh Le President, The Wilfred Jarvis Institute
(For lasting leadership and organizational effectiveness)