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URA awards $25,000 to Light Up Livingston event after organizer describes funding strain
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Summary
The URA approved a $25,000 downtown enhancement grant for Light Up Livingston; event organizer Ed O'Donnell described volunteer staffing and volatile year‑to‑year costs and the board encouraged organizers to pursue TBID funding as a longer‑term match.
The Livingston Urban Renewal Agency unanimously approved a $25,000 downtown enhancement grant March 24 to support the Light Up Livingston event.
Staff told the board the application — from Holiday Lights of Livingston LLC in partnership with the Livingston Depot Foundation and Explore Livingston — requested the program's full award of $25,000 to maintain, expand and replace event lighting. Staff noted the Depot Foundation holds property interest and said partners would formalize an MOU if required. The board voted 4–0 to approve the award.
Organizer remarks: Ed O'Donnell, the event organizer, described Light Up Livingston as a largely volunteer effort that has run about ten years and has variable finances. "One year we needed over $56,000 to put the thing on," O'Donnell said, and added donations were down for the season in question. He said much of the work is volunteer but that contractors are contracted when necessary and that safety tasks (fuses, exposed wiring) have required paying for technical help.
Program details and terms: Staff clarified the grant is reimbursement‑based; projects must commence within 90 days of award and be completed within 365 days for reimbursement, though staff said awards can be structured to cross fiscal years by agreement. Board members recommended the organizers also apply to the Tourism Business Improvement District (TBID) for event funding as a potentially sustainable revenue source.
Board reaction and next steps: Members praised the event's community value and economic benefit to downtown businesses and encouraged formalized partner agreements. Staff said they would work with the applicant to document property interest and finalize any required agreements before reimbursement processing.
The award is the first downtown enhancement grant the URA has presented under the program created roughly a year earlier.
