CITY OF SIMI VALLEY
STAFF REPORT
November 17, 2025
To: City Council
From: Office of the City Manager
Samantha C. Argabrite, City Manager
Subject: Appointment of Special Event Support Review Committee Members Staff Recommendation
It is recommended that the City Council approve, and the Mayor appoint, six nominees to serve on the 2026 Special Event Support Review Committee.
Background
The City Council is being asked to appoint six members to the 2026 Special Event Support Review Committee, which reviews community event funding applications and provides funding recommendations for City Council consideration.
In 2014, the City Council adopted a policy establishing the City’s process for providing financial support to special events. The policy created the Special Event Support Review Committee, comprised of one representative from each of the four Neighborhood Councils, one from the Council On Aging , and one alternate . Rather than requiring a specific scoring system, the Council provided the Committee with general preferences to prioritize events that reinvest proceeds locally in Simi Valley and demonstrate significant community and public benefit.
At this time, each of the four Neighborhood Councils and the Council On Aging has nominated a representative to serve on the 2026 Committee, with an alternate nominated from Neighborhood Council #2. The appointment of these nominees by the City Council will allow the Committee to convene and begin its review of applications for the upcoming year’s special event funding.
Discussion
Applications for City support of Special Events taking place in 2026 were made available on November 1, 2025 (www.simivalley.org/SpecialEvents) and are due by November 30, 2025. Staff anticipates that the Committee will conduct two meetings in December 2025.
The first meeting will serve as an orientation session for the Committee members to introduce each other and learn about the program, while the second meeting will consist of the review of applications , and the Committee will then make funding recommendations. That will conclude the Committee’s service.
AGENDA ITEM NO.
3A(1)
The nominating entities have nominated the following individuals to serve on the 202 6 Special Event Support Review Committee:
Nominating Entity Nominee
Neighborhood Council #1 Laura Hurd
Neighborhood Council #2 George Bowan
Neighborhood Council #3 Serena Kahm
Neighborhood Council #4 Bobby Calderon
Council On Aging Gloria Bowman
Alternate (Neighborhood Council #2) Gayle Sutton
Financial Impact
There is no financial impact.
City Council Priority
This item supports the Excellent City Government and Thriving Community Pillars of Excellence.
Suggested Motion
I move to appoint, the six nominees to serve on the 2026 Special Event Support Review Committee.
Summary
It is recommended that the City Council appoint the six nominees to serve on the 2026 Special Event Support Review Committee, which reviews community event funding applications and provides recommendations for City Council consideration.
Prepared by: Heidi DiNardo, Senior Management Analyst
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