Livingston Votes To Create Downtown Revitalization Committee

Livingston officials passed a resolution this week officially creating and recognizing the Downtown Revitalization Committee.

Chairman Ray Evans said the committee has operated for nearly 10-years, but not under any official documentation with the city.

“There’s a requirement in the Tennessee Downtowns Program and over in the Main Street Program to have a board that guides those efforts for the city as well,” Evans said. “This resolution takes care of both of those and formalizes the relationship between the board and the town of Livingston.”

The Downtown Revitalization Committee has helped the city land several grants in past years and most recently recommended changes to property maintenance codes.

The board voted 4-1 to approve the resolution. Alderman Ronald Dishman voted no as he questioned the legality of the committee.

“That would clarify then, that we’ve possibly been making decisions illegally for the last five or seven years,” Dishman said.

Livingston Attorney John Meadows said the committee had operated legally in the past because it only brought recommendations to the board of aldermen.

“The only authorization they would have is the authority that the city or some state law grants them,” Meadows said. “What Ray is asking the city to do is just to formalize something that probably needs to be done. Especially if the city wants to continue receiving downtown revitalization grants. ”

Evans said the resolution requires the committee to operate under sunshine laws and open meetings laws.

Committee meetings will be held on the first and third Friday’s every month.