Final  
City of Santa Clara  
Meeting Minutes  
Cultural Commission  
12/01/2025  
7:00 PM  
Hybrid Meeting  
Santa Clara Senior Center  
Room 205  
1303 Fremont Street  
Santa Clara, CA 95050  
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:  
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 Vice-Chair Diaz at 7:02 p.m.  
6 -  
Present  
Absent  
Commissioner Abinas Roy, Vice Chair Candida Diaz, Commissioner  
Charles Pontious, Commissioner Kuku Das, Commissioner Louis  
Samara, and Commissioner Neetu Garg  
1 - Chair Debra von Huene  
A motion was made by Commissioner Samara and seconded by  
Commissioner Pontious to excuse Chair von Huene from the  
meeting.  
6 -  
Aye:  
Commissioner Roy, Vice Chair Diaz, Commissioner Pontious,  
Commissioner Das, Commissioner Samara, and Commissioner Garg  
1 - Chair von Huene  
Absent:  
CONSENT CALENDAR  
Action on the Cultural Commission Regular Minutes of November 3, 2025  
Recommendation:  
Approve the Cultural Commission Regular Meeting Minutes of November  
3, 2025  
A motion was made by Commissioner Samara and seconded by  
Commissioner Garg to approve the minutes from the Nov. 3, 2025  
meeting.  
6 -  
Aye:  
Commissioner Roy, Vice Chair Diaz, Commissioner Pontious,  
Commissioner Das, Commissioner Samara, and Commissioner Garg  
1 - Chair von Huene  
Excused:  
PUBLIC PRESENTATIONS  
None.  
GENERAL BUSINESS  
Discussion and Potential Action on Cultural Commission Work Plan and  
Activities for FY 2025/26  
Recommendation:  
Discuss and potentially take action on the Cultural Commission work plan and  
activities for FY 2025/26.  
The Commission discussed the Cultural Commission's Work Plan Goals  
and Activities for FY 2025/26 and no action was taken.  
STAFF REPORT  
Manager Castro presented an update on the Arts Master Plan Project. She  
will be meeting with the Purchasing Division to discuss the statement of  
work and schedule for noticing. The Commission was invited to participate  
in the Annual Holiday Tree Lighting event on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025.  
COMMISSIONERS REPORT  
Commission Pontious invited the Commission to attend the 2025 Historic  
Home Tour on Friday, Dec. 5 through Saturday, Dec. 6. Proceeds to  
benefit the Harris Lass Mansion. Commissioner Roy attended a Tech Expo  
in the city which had over 100 student attendees present.  
ADJOURNMENT  
A motion was made by Commissioner Samara and seconded by  
Commissioner Roy to adjourn the meeting at 7:35 p.m.  
6 -  
Aye:  
Commissioner Roy, Vice Chair Diaz, Commissioner Pontious,  
Commissioner Das, Commissioner Samara, and Commissioner Garg  
1 - Chair von Huene  
Excused:  
The next meeting of the Cultural Commission is scheduled for Monday,  
Jan. 5, 2026, 7 p.m.  
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.