Final  
City of Santa Clara  
Meeting Minutes  
Cultural Commission  
08/04/2025  
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:  
https://santaclaraca.zoom.us/j/82207705371  
Meeting ID: 98272283531  
Or join by phone: 669-900-6833  
CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL  
The meeting was called to order by Chair von Huene at 7:04 PM.  
5 -  
Present  
Absent  
Vice Chair Candida Diaz, Commissioner Charles Pontious, Chair  
Debra von Huene, Commissioner Kuku Das, and Commissioner  
Neetu Garg  
2 - Commissioner Abinas Roy, and Commissioner Louis Samara  
Commissioner Roy and Samara arrived to the meeting at 7:12 PM.  
Action on Cultural Commission Regular Minutes of July 7, 2025  
25-853  
1.  
Recommendation:  
Approve the Cultural Commission Regular Meeting Minutes of July 7, 2025  
A motion was made by Vice-Chair Diaz to approve the minutes from  
July 7, 2025 with an amendment (recording Pontious as excused)  
and seconded by Commissioner Garg.  
5 -  
Aye:  
Vice Chair Diaz, Commissioner Pontious, Chair von Huene,  
Commissioner Das, and Commissioner Garg  
2 - Commissioner Roy, and Commissioner Samara  
Absent:  
PUBLIC PRESENTATIONS  
None.  
25-854  
2.  
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 work plan and assigned Commissioners  
to sub-committees to work on the activities for FY 2025/26. Vice-Chair  
Diaz presented the submissions for the Traffic Box Beautification Project  
(Post Meeting Material 1), and Chair von Huene presented  
Commemorative Month Festival Ideas (Post Meeting Material 2).  
A motion was made by Vice-Chair Diaz and seconded by  
Commissioner Garg to reallocate up to $500 from the Public Art  
Reception allocation to produce and procure up to three street  
banners for Nebula Rider.  
7 -  
Aye:  
Commissioner Roy, Vice Chair Diaz, Commissioner Pontious, Chair  
von Huene, Commissioner Das, Commissioner Samara, and  
Commissioner Garg  
A motion was made by Commissioner Daz and seconded by  
Commissioner Pontious to change goal no. 3 activity to read:  
"Identify a space to curate and facilitate the celebration of  
Commemorative Months and determine what cultural holidays to  
celebrate and via which medium."  
7 -  
Aye:  
Commissioner Roy, Vice Chair Diaz, Commissioner Pontious, Chair  
von Huene, Commissioner Das, Commissioner Samara, and  
Commissioner Garg  
STAFF REPORT  
Recreation Manager announced the beginning of fall recreation classes,  
the Art & Wine Festival is September 13 & 14, and the State of the City is  
September 24, and due to the City Holiday on September 1, the next  
meeting of the Commission will be October 6.  
COMMISSIONERS REPORT  
Commissioner Samara: Visited Mexico and saw areas with public art  
and murals.  
Commissioner Garg: Attended the Station Area Task Force Meeting and  
reported on the meeting. She also attended a Festival in Pittsburgh, PA.  
Chair von Huene: attended the Marketing and Economic Development  
Committee meetings, this group is focused on planning celebrations and  
events for 2026.  
ADJOURNMENT  
The next scheduled meeting for Cultural Commission is on Monday,  
October 6, 2025 at 7:00 PM.  
MEETING DISCLOSURES