The Alternative Press

LIVINGSTON, NJ - In honor of Livingston’s 200th birthday, Bicentennial Committee members provided an update on next year’s festivities during Monday night’s town council meeting.

Former Mayor Arlene Johnson and Eleonore Cohen took the councilmen through each month briefly explaining the planned events to celebrate Livingston’s bicentennial.
 
The theme of the year-long celebration is “Something for Everyone and a Role for Everybody” in which Johnson described the events were “a way to get the community involved.”

To name a few: in January, the committee has planned a Volunteer Fair and a Volunteer Recognition event to honor the town’s volunteers. To pay a tribute to Livingston’s history as the “home of governors” and celebrate the town’s first governmental meeting on April 11, Governor Chris Christie will pay a visit and speak to residents.

Johnson also discussed the committee’s goal to “have a sea of yellow.” The first event the public is able to participate in, Daffodil Day on Oct. 6, allows residents and businesses of all sorts to purchase and plant dafodils to remind residents everywhere they go about the bicentennial.

Mayor Stephen Santola voiced his approval on the project.

“You guys are doing an unbelievable job,” Santola said.

In other news, council members agreed to extend the town's current recycling contract.

Township Manager Michele Meade explained that Livingston gets paid to recycle and the current contract is the best choice for the town.

“It is in our best interest to extend the contract to save money,” Meade told The Alternative Press.

Santola complimented a few of the town’s happenings such as the large amount of participants who showed up to Saturday’s Electronics Recycling Day. He also was pleased with the first day of the new shuttle service.

“We started the shuttle service this morning and there was a great outcome, people seem generally enthused,” Santola said. “7 a.m. seems to be the hot hour.”

President of HCHY Allan Karpas added that people have been providing very positive feedback on the Livingston Primetime Shuttle’s Facebook page.