[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6183201,"mediaKeyId","5098612-5b3ae3c741e337d80042519811d97bf4","parentId",5098612,"title","Council approves multiple traffic and parking ordinances as residents press for speed mitigation on Keep Street","audioSeconds",4718,"startMs",3658000,"endMs",8376000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5098612-5b3ae3c741e337d80042519811d97bf4&start=3658&end=8376","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5098612-5b3ae3c741e337d80042519811d97bf4/thumbnail_3658000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6183201/New-Jersey/Council-approves-multiple-traffic-and-parking-ordinances-as-residents-press-for-speed-mitigation-on-Keep-Street","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6183201-432a86ebbe2ba0d32e8b6f6b7db1a90c/orig.mp4?Expires=1770990465&Signature=SBNnAhp53PiVmbm5k8Lz~NfRrvHo55mUUJw5rwmUcPJDXjzeIcTxlqDBZQrQJ9AO3hDuX0lb7oa3T3nt~WuCvizE~gl7kuoqnlhVeZR9YnAT2gD2yEH0XCdTNkk3wZ10RYANGRmFLG-S1cwfyf5LlCzz6DFNHb6woXUJgOqyb4lhvEe9olyz8uqAwl~Iei5Bfuq~c~CHUQ08HEQNNfVIG9WGAT-Z4frcbw5VAzPFxyK0W~WSUyIMw-azdn3iG~llKoRu0XbE8BjdJTl~5w4pV82E-bnq2pa54GMZxW8zQxiGm99r2xtjKYz1I6FEOyWyWg8SxlyrdNs-arvKdBU9lg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Linden, NJ","date","2025-05-21T13:50:59Z","article","The Linden City Council on May 20 adopted several ordinances amending traffic and parking rules across the city and heard multiple public comments asking for speed mitigation on residential streets, most notably Keep Street.

Council members moved and adopted ordinances involving residential permit parking, handicap parking additions and removals, new no-parking locations, bus stop locations and bond ordinances funding parking and road projects. Among the traffic-related measures adopted that evening were amendments to Chapter 7 (Traffic) including changes to residential overnight permit areas, additions and removals of handicap parking spaces, and parking prohibitions on several streets. The council also tabled ordinances numbered 69-28 and 69-29 to the June meeting and removed others (69-18 and 69-20) from consideration.

Multiple residents used the public-comment period to press for immediate traffic-calming measures. Kevin Byron (North Stiles Street) described recurring reckless driving and two recent accidents near Keep Street and Gibbons Avenue and said he collected a 50-signature petition requesting mitigation. He told the council: “People don't listen to stop signs. At the very least, I'd like to see a 4-way stop sign, blinking stop signs, something to get people's attention because it's only getting worse.” Judy Byron emphasized family safety and urged officials to act before someone is seriously hurt.

Theresa Joseph, a resident who lives on North Stiles, said a commercial site plan adjacent to residential easements had been approved with access and circulation she believes was intended to be one-way and to include a sidewalk and a removable speed bump. Joseph said the site is being used as a two-way route by customers and delivery traffic, creating conflicts and near-misses in the shared easement near her home.

Councilwoman Orman said engineers would re-run a traffic study for Keep Street and noted practical limitations for speed humps (they can be damaged by snow plows and heavy equipment). She asked residents to meet with engineering staff to explore targeted solutions; the meeting record shows an instruction to refer the concerns to engineering and the traffic committee.

Why it matters: Traffic-calming decisions and permit parking changes affect neighborhood safety, pedestrian access and parking availability. Residents described near-misses and collisions and asked for expedited city action to reduce speeds and increase pedestrian protections.

Next steps: Council referred resident requests to engineering for a traffic study and noted that some ordinance items will be returned for further consideration at the June meeting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","CITY OF LINDEN - COUNCIL MEETING 5/20/25","oneSentenceSummary","The Linden City Council adopted a package of traffic and parking ordinance changes and tabled some items to June while residents raised safety concerns and requested speed humps, four-way stops and other traffic-calming measures on Keep Street and in the Bayway area.","taxTitle","Linden City, Union County, New Jersey","taxId",68962,"location","New Jersey","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6183206,"Linden to replace NIXLE with Everbridge emergency notification system; residents must re-register",121,3490000,3611000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5098612-5b3ae3c741e337d80042519811d97bf4&start=3490&end=3611","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5098612-5b3ae3c741e337d80042519811d97bf4/thumbnail_3490000.jpg","/articles/6183206/New-Jersey/Linden-to-replace-NIXLE-with-Everbridge-emergency-notification-system-residents-must-re-register","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6183206-9bc88c875263e611b9260a42d984ec69/orig.mp4?Expires=1770990465&Signature=bn9gpcz5u2kbz0Bg~CL6hsLKN0VQIE84H-UTG7XbXb8xBZcX2JYI56PWeu8OVfoBx9BLqHVm3BsuGfdxjj1UkKavhMZYbo8szz4Jxu7yRPNqYa8v4J0ZgKWdCye0FU3APPkIz2yCOb1rZqG0tGgVwAYcSmqz4Hx0CZ8H-EHd7tJBz8Qydh~2a0hHgHLfdfGGSPFErOBLwEPMAjAmEbCHr2sE9gcbNPVZ3jIAxhcE9bAt0QUlMjuTV70AbpnJOHtja3KFP7Tbetq-b7qvGOmgfP70DeSo4smzivepzJOCflXtpMr9nND-u3gDBxp4Nu1GR1bPp79Pe2rvSqFVEBzkqw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Linden officials announced a planned transition of the city's resident alert system from NIXLE to Everbridge and urged residents to re-register for notifications.

Mayor Derek Armstead said the city will adopt Everbridge's messaging platform to allow residents greater customization of alerts and multiple delivery options. Armstead said, “The new system allows residents enhanced features and customization, allowing them to receive the messaging they want and ignore the ones that they don't want.” He added that Everbridge supports text, email and push notifications.

Officials said the replacement will require all users to register for Everbridge even if they already receive NIXLE alerts; the transition is expected to be completed on or about June 1, 2025. The mayor and staff said NIXLE alerts will continue during the transition period and that the city will publish sign-up directions on Linden's local channels (TV 36 and TV 42) and online.

Why it matters: Emergency notification systems are a primary channel for official urgent messages about severe weather, public safety incidents and other emergencies. Requiring residents to re-register increases the short-term risk that some users will not receive alerts until they complete registration, but officials said they will maintain NIXLE alerts while the transition is underway and will provide multiple outreach channels so residents can sign up.

City staff said they will publish TV and online instruction and encourage residents to sign up promptly for Everbridge to ensure continuity of emergency messaging.","City officials said they will transition from NIXLE to Everbridge for emergency and general notifications, require new registrations, and provide sign-up information via local TV and online before an expected transition around June 1.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6183210,"Linden special improvement district budget approved amid questions over event spending",259,2741000,3000000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5098612-5b3ae3c741e337d80042519811d97bf4&start=2741&end=3000","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5098612-5b3ae3c741e337d80042519811d97bf4/thumbnail_2741000.jpg","/articles/6183210/New-Jersey/Linden-special-improvement-district-budget-approved-amid-questions-over-event-spending","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6183210-62596a3b4b2671faef4627f4a6b397f2/orig.mp4?Expires=1770990465&Signature=Xx1~nb1BJxJxRew-LigIVbLzOY~9R8iN5gZm8MjmWzX7j8HEpJaWlOeD1jpvm~zEBtQs6RY89Ig-ebWWJF6aFAG4TExNbgaWS~C8vd60u-vVqD2hfLRd7aytqbXQRylaQxzU~FGFy-pdKKkA~YZJZHw-wMVjmN1mIScllB2dJZWkycpoZwyptVv274HmNXp1zmXS~Hwosilsq0kYboJkEIzcYOox8Yg-DDEVLVa1akcTTvpQiNR~ZiuSJb560v3z3yCJ4DFz-g4ds~hYOAo1d3JMnmZo1fHZdRPPKNafvV1aYUoHWKwsPN2tRjU8jiJZ5DBMFF-YY-NH2~wWW4Oycw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Linden City Council approved the 2025-26 Special Improvement District (SID) budget on May 20 after a brief public hearing that included questions from business owners and residents about staffing costs and event spending.

Felipe Cabezza, speaking for the SID, presented the fiscal year budget and line items, saying salary and wages total $94,000; marketing and supplies $14,000; utilities and leases about $32,800; and special projects such as the city's “Outdoor Dining Day” budgeted for $10,000. Cabezza told council that the total SID budget for July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026 would be about $184,147 (presentation wording: “a total of $30,347 to bring equals to a 184,000 a $147”).

Public commenters pressed the SID about specific line items and perceived inconsistencies in budget papers. Craig Halloran asked whether the SID had attempted to recover $25,000 of lost funding tied to a Clark property transfer; Cabezza replied that he had spoken with the developer and was told the developer would reimburse a one-time $25,000 loss (\"he assured me that he will reimburse us with those $25,000 that we lost\").

John Kaiser, a resident who reviewed SID documents, flagged apparent discrepancies in the budget paperwork for signage and entertainment. He questioned a $1,700 payment for a \"house music\" DJ and compared it to the prior $600 rate paid to a prior contractor, and he asked whether signage amounts were $6,003 or another figure shown in a different packet. Kaiser said, “So why are we paying a Thursday night house party $1,700 for a few hours when Mike Bono, your predecessor, did $600?” Cabezza responded that event costs have risen and that the SID combined several events into planned programming that includes House Music, Comedy Night and festival costs.

Resident Ed Kaminski and others urged the SID and city to prioritize public safety and downtown cleanliness over entertainment costs. Kaminski told the council that downtown businesses had complained about low evening foot traffic and suggested improving security and weekend cleanup to support merchants.

Council members moved to close the hearing and adopt the SID budget; the council recorded the motion and adopted the budget on roll call. Mayor Derek Armstead and other council members also promoted the first summer outdoor dining event on June 6 (05:00 to 09:30 p.m.) to encourage foot traffic and said the city would expedite outdoor dining permits.

Why it matters: The SID budget funds downtown marketing, events and streetscape work intended to increase foot traffic and business activity. Questions from residents and business owners about event vendor costs and signage highlight local concerns over how downtown promotional dollars are used and whether they produce measurable business benefits.

Council and SID representatives said they will continue outreach to downtown merchants and monitor event outcomes.","Council approved the 2025-26 Special Improvement District (SID) budget and a June outdoor dining event after residents raised concerns about line-item increases and inconsistent budget paperwork.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6183214,"Linden council adopts $138.7 million municipal budget for 2025",3420,1376000,4796000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5098612-5b3ae3c741e337d80042519811d97bf4&start=1376&end=4796","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5098612-5b3ae3c741e337d80042519811d97bf4/thumbnail_1376000.jpg","/articles/6183214/New-Jersey/Linden-council-adopts-1387-million-municipal-budget-for-2025","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6183214-0bf6fefd7d979feb1dab4efe7d7cfc10/orig.mp4?Expires=1770990465&Signature=a6MOr8Fl1GZbiXd0MO6s3r~Fy5ARODQcbLNS950uspveo6h8k4ziZAkdB~4q3W7CRIKptUSqqoGqXgEEYuncaUfZrCTJN7lhiCJp~1OEfdUbB-OAEKTHSkQUk92k6ZBC~f6fjMhhIAzcppYn-MjMBJ~JDVxqBr--0y1zRrs4y0AYIJFpuWpNpJ2LdQUKDIPfZQKUMFpLq3bCuEz9ATeTdA98FbBSN6Don3MiCA8rGnIfZuREaxDtQpYmiv68peuNzsQKpb93KRAWNonX5I3EHILXZXYVI40nf5kSZnHjmu7ePPhojW-S-14g6nU9atAgIhyDF7J83y-cK-iI2br~mg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Linden City Council on May 20 adopted the 2025 municipal budget, approving $138,709,902.73 in municipal appropriations and authorizing $72,147,634.13 in municipal tax levy.

Alexis Zach, municipal finance staff, presented the budget to the council and the public, saying, “The municipal budget is a $138,709,902.73.” She told the council the budget includes salary and wage appropriations of $57,252,378.32 covering 695 full- and part-time positions and other expenses totaling $81,457,524.41. Zach said public safety (police, fire and OEM) accounts for about $42.45 million, or 30.6% of appropriations, and that insurance costs total roughly $24,983,600, or about 18% of appropriations.

The budget hearing attracted several residents who asked questions about staffing and line-item increases. Pat Hero, a West Elizabeth Avenue resident, pressed for explanations of increases in the mayor's and city clerk's offices and engineering costs; Zach replied that some increases came from part-time positions becoming full time, contractual wage obligations, higher professional services and the need to cover engineering work while several staff positions remained vacant.

The budget documents break revenue into multiple streams: local taxation is the largest single source, $72,147,634.13 (about 52.0% of revenue); state aid was listed at just over $20 million (about 14.5%); pilot payments from redevelopment projects were projected at $9,305,945.13 (about 6.7%); and surplus and special items accounted for other shares. Zach said the city expects more than $1.1 billion in redevelopment investment and roughly 4.8 million square feet of industrial and commercial space tied to those projects.

Zach and other officials emphasized cost drivers that forced a tax increase after several years of level municipal levies. The presentation cited roughly $4 million of state-mandated increases in statutory expenses (pensions, Social Security, unemployment), about $2.1 million of inflation-driven increases in departmental other expenses, and $3.6 million from collective bargaining increases across 10 bargaining units. Zach reported the resulting impact on an average assessed home (value stated in the presentation as $133,860.71) will be an annual municipal increase of $327.21, or about $27.27 per month. She said the administration began budgeting from zero-based requests and reduced initial department requests by about $13.2 million to limit the increase.

Council President Michelle Yamakaitis moved to adopt the budget; the motion was seconded and adopted on a roll call vote. The council recorded approval by voice roll call; the clerk read the resolution adopting the municipal budget and the minimum library tax of $3,288,023.42.

Why it matters: The budget sets municipal spending priorities for the year and funds public safety, public works, parks, the library and capital projects including streets and an ongoing city hall parking garage rehabilitation. Officials said capital investments and redevelopment pilot revenues are central to the city's fiscal strategy and that mandated costs limited the ability to avoid a tax increase in 2025.

Following the adoption, council members and staff invited further questions and said written details and the adopted budget were available on the city website. Residents who asked for follow-up during the hearing were offered opportunities to discuss their questions with finance staff.","After a public hearing and discussion of staffing and inflationary pressures, the Linden City Council adopted a $138,709,902.73 municipal budget that increases the average homeowner's municipal tax by about $327.21 annually.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council approves multiple traffic and parking ordinances as residents press for speed mitigation on Keep Street

Linden to replace NIXLE with Everbridge emergency notification system; residents must re-register

Linden special improvement district budget approved amid questions over event spending

Linden council adopts $138.7 million municipal budget for 2025