At the conference meeting of the Township Council, prior to the start of the regular meeting on Monday, March 21, the Council heard from several residents about upcoming events and celebrations, including a pitch about Women Veterans Appreciation Day.Steve Delman and Alyse Berger Heilpern, speaking on behalf of the Livingston Committee for Diversity and Inclusion, requested a ceremony and flag raising at Memorial Park on the Oval for Women Veterans Appreciation Day, which is on Sunday, June 12.In recent years, the ceremony for the state-recognized holiday has been held outside of Town Hall, just across the street, at the behest of the other veterans groups in Livingston. However, the Oval, and specifically the area of Memorial Park, is owned by the township, not the veterans, so Delman and Heilpern asked the Council to approve the event. Memorial Park is the area located at the entrance of the Oval, featuring several war monuments and flags.In the past, Livingston’s veterans groups have asked the Council to limit the flag raisings and events that are held at Memorial Park. The LCDI members said that when they asked to hold the Women Veterans Appreciation Day event there, they were told by veterans groups that the town did not own the Oval; they came to address the Council when they found out that was not true.“We would like the women’s veterans to be treated equally,” Heilpern said. “This is a state-recognized day to honor our female veterans. Our town prides itself on inclusiveness. Why are we continuing to disrespect our female veterans? Refusing to permit the program to take place at the memorial sends a message that only male veterans matter. Is this the message we want to send to the women from our town currently serving our armed forces? Is this the message we want to send to our daughters, sisters, and wives?”Mayor Ed Meinhardt said he would discuss the matter with the Council and the veterans groups; he would then give the LCDI an answer in a few days on whether the event can be held at Memorial Park or Town Hall. The Council noted that Summerfest is also on June 12 this year so any ceremony would have to be held in the morning.Lego League ExpoAlan Karpas next asked the Council to approve the First Lego League Expo, an event run by the Livingston Robotics Club, a Healthy Community Healthy Youth affiliated ...
