Livingston narrows RecPlex work to grant deliverables after consultants present larger plan; city seeks fundraising and Measure V support

City Manager Jose Antonio Ramirez and recreation staff told the council June 3 that the city will focus RecPlex work on the specific deliverables required by the Prop 68 grant after consultants presented a broader plan that the city cannot fully fund today.

Why it matters: Livingston received a Prop 68 grant tied to the RecPlex purchase and renovations; staff said the grant imposes deliverables with a December 2027 deadline. City managers said a multi‑pronged funding strategy will be required to meet the grant conditions and advance initial site work.

What staff said

City Manager Jose Antonio Ramirez said the city received a $7,374,000 grant that helped acquire the building, and that staff told consultants to “focus on the needs and making sure that we we address those items that the grant require us to actually, complete. Why? Because we only have until December of 20 27 in order to, you know, meet those, grant requirements.” Ramirez said the full consultant plan included far more work and an approximate $27 million total estimate that the city cannot afford at once.

Ramirez and staff described a multi‑pronged implementation approach that includes:

- Prioritizing grant deliverables and essential site work that are required by Prop 68 and must be complete by the grant deadline. - Fundraising and private‑sector outreach, including potential naming rights for spaces and targeted corporate and foundation requests. - Searching for additional grants, including federal opportunities for…