Positive things happening in Linden

A little over six months ago Lee Elliot took the combined job as the City Manager and Economic Developer of Linden. The City of Linden is a historical town with a ton of flavor. However, like all towns there is work to be done to keep the community efficient and prosperous. The Journal-Sun will be meeting with local officials from area towns in an effort to inform the citizens what is happening in their community. This week Shawn Larson from the Journal-Sun met with Elliot.

Larson: What are some plans and projects in Linden that people should feel good about?

“Currently, we are approximately 70% finished with our $2 million GLO drainage grant project. This project will provide greater conveyance of the majority of our drainage to get water off of our street network rapidly, improving public safety and slowing down the depreciation of several streets. We should be advertising for bids for our $4 million USDA water line repair project over the next few months.”

“This project has been in the works for seven years and will help reduce our significant amount of water loss and improve customer water service. In the spring, we will bid and begin construction of a street repair project Downtown. Our crosswalks will have decorative music notes. This will be an awesome investment into our economic heart of our community.”

“One thing citizens have been very interested in is code compliance. As of November, we have one police officer performing proactive code compliance, part-time. We are looking to address substandard structures, weed lots and unsecured structures. We will begin with our gateways, which are our TXDOT highways going through our community.”

“Staff has begun to improve signage, doing drainage improvements, painting fire hydrants and we will be performing code compliance in the gateway areas first. The Council wants to begin with a concentrated approach and our gateways are where everyone, citizens, tourists and passerbys can see improvements within our community.”

“With the holiday season upon us, the EDC has begun a Shop Linden First program. Over the last 12-months, the City sales tax has increased approximately 15%. This is huge, it keeps our businesses open, growing and allows revenue for the City to fix streets and keep property taxes lower. The City and EDC are partnering on wayfinding and decorative signage for our Downtown vicinity to assist tourists shopping in our community while improving aesthetics. With our new solid waste contract, we will be going to blue city logo poly-carts which will help clean up our community.”

Larson: What is currently happening with the at-risk youth facility that is moving into the old hospital?

“Open Hearts is planning to open by mid-year 2022. They are generating 13 new jobs within our community. With this business occupying the old hospital, it will fill a huge void in the middle of our community.”

Larson: What are your plans to help fix some of the infrastructure issues like the roads, sewage, and such? What is currently underway?

“Our engineers and staff are meeting this Wednesday, to develop plans of how we improve streets while repairing our water and sewer infrastructure concurrently. Ideally, you would perform the construction of the underground utilities before performing street and drainage improvements. The challenge for us, is our street and drainage infrastructure in the majority of the community cannot wait 1 to 3 years to begin to be rehabilitated after performing the utility improvements.

“Unfortunately, we have no analyses of our sewer system and it is failing. Most of your sewer infrastructure is under the pavement area of the rights-of-way. This generates a conundrum. Staff, our engineers, the mayor and council are reviewing ways to as efficiently possible perform these improvements concurrently.

“Our aged heavy equipment is being reviewed currently. Over the next 30- days, we will be improving our equipment. The useful life for our heavy equipment has ended. We are at a point where we lose large amounts of quality man hours, are placing band aid fixes which are no longer working and costing more and more money. Staff and council are working to find the best financial approach to fixing our equipment situation which will save money and improve customer service.”

Larson: Now that you have been in Linden for a few months what are your impressions?

“Opportunities. We have an awesome community. The citizens care immensely about the city and the schools. While we have challenges, losing population for 40-years, everyone is buying into the “new normal” of our future. We are visioning, planning and implementing. The City Council, EDC Board, School District, Chamber of Commerce, Linden Together and the Heritage Foundation are communicating and working in unison to improve our community. As our school superintendent says frequently, we are better together!”

Larson: What do you like about Linden?

“The citizen’s attitude! Currently, everyone I have met views the challenges we are facing as opportunities to improve our community. While there are natural frustrations with the condition of our streets and utility systems, people are listening to our challenges and interested in how we plan to fix decade’s old problems. 2022 will be a highly productive year and positive for our community as we begin to fix capital intensive challenges. We have an opportunity to improve our community and we will!”

Larson: As the economic director what new businesses have/are coming in?

“Probably the largest development since I arrived is a new saw mill in our community. The factory will generate 25 jobs, invest $4 million and plans on opening in the spring of 2022. The City and Cass County are partnering with this business. This is a huge economic investment for us.

“We recently have had a pediatrician open and in the near future we will have a Christian boutique opening Downtown too. We have several food trucks opening and flourishing throughout the community.

“Crumps Food Store has added sushi. The County Seat restaurant is expanding. They have added beer and wine and will be having bands in the near future. Don Henley is improving existing structures Downtown. Another positive economic engine of our community is Music City Texas is back open.

“The City, EDC and Heritage Foundation are in preliminary discussions about replicating the Pickle Shed downtown. The new shed will be for a farmers market, cultural and musical events.”

Larson: Anything else in Cass County you think people need to know about?

“Our community is moving a positive direction. Come see our wonderful Downtown and visit our variety of businesses. After a little stalling due to the world pandemic, our Downtown is back thriving.”

“Our school has increased enrollment this year and people are beginning to move into Linden our around our community. Come visit us and see the positive direction our wonderful town is moving towards!”