City of Santa Clara
Meeting Minutes
Cultural Commission
Draft
7:00 PM Hybrid Meeting
Santa Clara Senior Center
Room 205
1303 Fremont Street
Santa Clara, CA 95050
02/02/2026
The City of Santa Clara is conducting the Cultural Commission meeting in a hybrid manner (in-person and a method for the public to participate remotely).
Via Zoom:
https://santaclaraca.zoom.us/j/82207705371
Meeting ID: 822 0770 5371
Or join by phone: 669-900-6833
CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL
The meeting was called to order by Chair von Huene at 7:02 p.m.
Commissioner Abinas Roy, Vice Chair Candida Diaz, Commissioner Charles Pontious, Chair Debra von Huene, Commissioner Kuku Das, and Commissioner Neetu Garg
Present 6 -
Commissioner Louis SamaraAbsent 1 -
CONSENT CALENDAR
1. 26-94 Action on the Cultural Commission Regular Minutes of January 5, 2026 A motion was made by Vice Chair Diaz and seconded by
Commissioner Pontious to approve the minutes from the January 5, 2026 meeting.
Aye: Commissioner Roy, Vice Chair Diaz, Commissioner Pontious, Chair von Huene, Commissioner Das, and Commissioner Garg
6 -
Absent: Commissioner Samara1 -
PUBLIC PRESENTATIONS
None.
GENERAL BUSINESS
02/02/2026Cultural Commission Meeting Minutes
2. 26-95 Discussion and Potential Action on Cultural Commission Work Plan and Activities for FY 2025/26
The Commission discussed Work Plan and provided updates. No action was taken.
STAFF REPORT
None.
COMMISSIONERS REPORT
Chair von Huene attended the SVCreates Municipal Round Table meeting on Jan. 27 and shared information about a program titled Make Music Day that the City of San Jose participates in and hoped to explore how the Commission can get involved. The Commission created a sub-committee with Commissioners Pontious, Roy, and Das to gain more information on an event in Santa Clara. She also shared about participating in the Lunar New Year event with the Commission, saying it was highly successful and recommends participating again in 2027. Chair von Huene also participated in the Martin Luther King Jr. Choral Reading at the Central Library and attended the Super Bowl LX Flag Raising at Levi's Stadium that included a visit to the 49er Museum.
Vice Chair Diaz went on a trip to Southern California and attended a lacrosse tournament and visited the Griffith Observatory and Pismo Beach.
Commissioner Das attended the Martin Luther King Jr. Choral Reading at the Central Library, Lunar New Year event and Super Bowl LX Flag Raising at Levi's Stadium. Visited Citrus Heights and noted they have the Utility Box Painting artists.
Commissioner Roy attended the Super Bowl LX Flag Raising event at Levi's Stadium and participated in a weekend yoga retreat.
ADJOURNMENT
A motion was made by Vice Chair Diaz and seconded by
Commissioner Pontious to adjourn the meeting at 7:41 p.m.
Aye: Commissioner Roy, Vice Chair Diaz, Commissioner Pontious, Chair von Huene, Commissioner Das, and Commissioner Garg
6 -
Absent: Commissioner Samara1 -
02/02/2026Cultural Commission Meeting Minutes
The next regular meeting of the Cultural Commission is scheduled for Monday, March 2, 2026.
MEETING DISCLOSURES
The time limit within which to commence any lawsuit or legal challenge to any quasi-adjudicative decision made by the City is governed by Section 1094.6 of the Code of Civil Procedure, unless a shorter limitation period is specified by any other provision. Under Section 1094.6, any lawsuit or legal challenge to any quasi-adjudicative decision made by the City must be filed no later than the 90th day following the date on which such decision becomes final. Any lawsuit or legal challenge, which is not filed within that 90-day period, will be barred. If a person wishes to challenge the nature of the above section in court, they may be limited to raising only those issues they or someone else raised at the meeting described in this notice, or in written correspondence delivered to the City of Santa Clara, at or prior to the meeting. In addition, judicial challenge may be limited or barred where the interested party has not sought and exhausted all available administrative remedies.
If a member of the public submits a speaker card for any agenda items, their name will appear in the Minutes. If no speaker card is submitted, the Minutes will reflect "Public Speaker." In accordance with the requirements of Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 ("ADA"), the City of Santa Clara will not discriminate against qualified individuals with disabilities on the basis of disability in its services, programs, or activities, and will ensure that all existing facilities will be made accessible to the maximum extent feasible. The City of Santa Clara will generally, upon request, provide appropriate aids and services leading to effective communication for qualified persons with disabilities including those with speech, hearing, or vision impairments so they can participate equally in the City’s programs, services, and activities. The City of Santa Clara will make all reasonable modifications to policies and programs to ensure that people with disabilities have an equal opportunity to enjoy all of its programs, services, and activities.
Agendas and other written materials distributed during a public meeting that are public record will be made available by the City in an appropriate alternative format. Contact the City Clerk’s Office at 1 408-615-2220 with your request for an alternative format copy of the agenda or other written materials.
Individuals who require an auxiliary aid or service for effective communication, or any other disability-related modification of policies or procedures, or other accommodation, in order to participate in a program, service, or activity of the City of Santa Clara, should contact the City’s ADA Coordinator at 408-615-3000 as soon as possible but no later than 48 hours before the scheduled event.