Physical infrastructure in Linden coming together
Several things have been put in motion recently for the town of Linden. Lee Elliott the City manager says “the Blueprint for rebuilding the physical infrastructure in Linden is quickly coming to fruition.”
Below is an update of current projects in motion, or about to be in motion to begin to fix our antiquated physical infrastructure.
General Land Office Drainage Grant: in 2020, the City pursued and received a $2 million grant to improve drainage in our community. The majority of the project encompasses the low area of Linden Park and the tributary from Kaufman Street to Main Street. Within the project scope, approximately 80 percent of the City’s stormwater drainage flows. This project will retain water to flow out of our community at the correct speed enabling the improvement of safety by relieving the drainage off of streets rapidly and will decrease depreciation of our street infrastructure by removing the stormwater more quickly. This project should be completed in mid-July.
Main Street Grant: the City’s contractors have begun to implement the approximately $350 thousand grant to repair 2 blocks of Rush Street and the extension of sidewalks Downtown.
Sanitary Sewer Study: currently, the City does not have a study of our sanitary sewer system. With more than 60 percent of our sanitary sewer being Depression Era, our community is experiencing major challenges in providing quality sewer service. This project will provide smoke testing of all of our sanitary sewer systems which will assist in analyzing which areas need addressing first and will provide data to generate a comprehensive sanitary sewer plan to begin a financing plan to repair this extremely depreciated portion of our infrastructure. This testing should begin later in July.
USDA Water Grant/Loan: this 8-year process to begin repairing our water infrastructure is finally reaching a point by the end of this year, construction should begin on this $4 million grant/loan (low-interest rate). Unfortunately, with the cost estimates being 8 years old and high construction costs impacted by inflation, we will probably be able to construct only 50 percent of the original scope. However, since the community is losing such a high rate of water, even the 50 percent scope will enable savings to help service debt and improve water pressure.
ARPA Water Meter Grant: the City will be advertising for new fixed base electric reading water meters over the next month. Our community has received a $470 thousand grant from the Federal Government to put towards infrastructure. The City Council and administration chose to use the grant funds to repair our dilapidated water meters. To help keep down increasing water and sewer rates, new meters will provide an accurate reading. Forecasts show with new and accurate meters, there will be anywhere from an 8-20 percent increase in the accuracy of water. By having accurate reads, the utility system will not have to increase water rates as much to provide services, debt, and construction. The modern-day meter system will also provide improved customer service with remote reading access for customers and will assist in helping cus
Street Bond: On July 11th, the City will be selling its $6 million Certificate of Obligation (property tax serviced debt) to begin repairing our street and drainage infrastructure. To assist in lowering interest rates with the debt sell, the Council sought a credit rating from Standard and Poor’s. Due to very good fiscal stewardship and clean audits over the last several years, the City received a very good rating of A+ which should provide us a lower interest rate! With the debt sell occurring late in the warm weather construction period required for street and drainage repair, the Council’s goal for 2022 is to repair School Lane which receives all of the elementary school traffic, Kaufman Street and Banger Street. With the 2 blocks of Rush Street being repaired, this approach for 2022 will be a huge beginning by providing a backbone for the beginning of repairs. Over the Fall and Winter, Council, the administration and City Engineer with public input will comprise a street repair plan for 2023.