Linden City Manager looks forward to 2023

City Manager Lee Elliott recently updated the Journal-Sun with what the community can expect for 2023. Several things stick out as City-changing activities that should benefit the area for good including paving the roads and updating sewage. Some changes won’t happen in 2023, because planning and studies still need to be finished.

Elliot explains what to expect in 2023. “As we enter the early part of 2023, the City of Linden is working to improve our infrastructure comprehensively, expand our quality of life, and to increase our economic base. The following is an overview of the variety of ways we are pursuing these items,” says Elliott.

1. Remembrance of the 50th Anniversary of the Vietnam War ending/Death of Sgt. John O’Neil Rucker: Saturday, February 4th, beginning at 10:30 AM at the Cass County Courthouse, there will be a remembrance ceremony of the 50th Anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War and the last US death, which was Sgt. John O’Neil Rucker who was from Linden.

2. New water meters: to improve customer service and to generate accurate readings for water, the City Council chose to use our American Recovery Plan Act (ARPA) grant funds for this purpose. By using ARPA grant funds, meter replacement can be removed from the USDA loan portion, which will make those funds go further to repair water lines and not have to pay interest on meters which will provide accurate usage of water to service our USDA debt. Meters never speed up; they always slow down. The useful life of a meter is 15 years, which the majority of our meters have exceeded. The meter replacement is approximately 80% complete.

3. USDA Water Repairs Grant/Low-Interest Loan: the City has received approval to advertise bids for the approximately $4.5 million water repairs. Our engineering firm is finalizing the construction drawings. By early February, there will be a 30day advertisement for bids. In late Spring, construction should begin for this project.

4. Street Replacement/Repair: The City Council recently awarded a contract to Francis Excavating to repair Kaufman and Banger streets. With School Lane being repaired, the Council chose this street combination to develop a “backbone” to build off of, with Rush Street too being repaired by a grant. At the regular January Council meeting, the next round of street repairs was approved to design and advertise for bids. The selection criteria were for streets rated a 1, 2, or 3, which are the worst conditions, and close geographic proximity to each other. The importance of the close proximity is to keep mobilization costs down for construction, which helps stretch the $6 million dollars we have for street repair. While we all would like to perform $6 million of street repairs immediately, it is not in the best interest of the Citizens. By keeping the bid rounds at one to two million dollars, it enables more companies to bid on streets, which provides pressure to keep costs down. Recently we received notice of a $450 thousand Community Development Block Grant award for low to moderate-income neighborhoods to replace streets.

5. Downtown Sidewalks/Rush Street Repair: the sidewalks have been extended or repaired. Unfortunately, the street and sidewalk repairs have experienced many change orders and weather issues to be completed in a timely manner. Rush Street should be overlaid once we receive some dry weather.

6. Jim’s Bayou Wastewater Treatment Repair: our engineering firm is currently advertising emergency repairs for this wastewater treatment plant.

7. Wastewater Study: recently, the City has had a comprehensive study performed on our wastewater system. Our engineers are analyzing it and will be generating a capital improvement plan this year to repair this utility system.

8. Utility Rate Study: a best practice for a quality community is to develop a plan to provide sustainable water and wastewater utilities. To do this, utility rates have to match up with needs. Through a non-profit organization, for free, the City is generating a utility rate study which will provide cost guidance for personnel, equipment, debt service, operations and maintenance to provide our community quality water and wastewater services.

9. Proactive Code Compliance: the City has begun a proactive program of improving safety in our community. Currently, code staff are concentrating on our Downtown vicinity. Dilapidated structure owners are being notified to fix up their structures or demolish them. Staff will be working to secure structures which have open doors and windows over the next few months. Council will begin to address the approximate 15 dilapidated structures throughout 2023. Staff and the City Attorney will begin to explore ordinances for vacant Downtown structures which are in disrepair, or unoccupied, to generate refurbishment or leasing.

10. Linden Heritage Foundation Monument: the EDC and City are partnering with the Linden Heritage Foundation to implement a historical monument for the brick building of the Cass County Courthouse through slave labor around the Downtown and a building history walking tour.

11. EDC New Website: the EDC is working with a consulting firm to improve our website. The goal is to provide a bilingual site, job board, and to provide a presentation which is inviting to prospective businesses, citizens and to assist current citizens and businesses.

12. Mayor/Council Election: currently, the sign-up period for the Mayor and two City Council positions are in process. The election is in early May. Packets are available on the City’s website under elections and can be picked up at City Hall. Assistant City Manager/City Secretary Allie Anderson is the election contact at 903-756-7502.