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Linden council approves consent agenda, adopts personnel actions and introduces two ordinances
Summary
Council approved the consent agenda (items 2025‑18 through 2025‑112 and item 113), recorded personnel postings and resignations, authorized a deferred compensation agreement, and introduced ordinances amending traffic and flood damage chapters for first reading.
The Linden City Council voted on a consent agenda and a series of resolutions during the Jan. 14 meeting, approving routine finance and personnel actions and introducing two ordinances for first reading.
Councilwoman Grama, as finance chair, asked for approval of finance actions that included payment of bills totaling $1,600,195.06 and the acceptance of December investment reports. The council approved the payment of bills and the investment report by roll call; one council member, Eloy Delgado, recorded an abstention on at least one consent item where noted on the transcript.
Councilman Strano presented a personnel agenda that included the appointment of a police recruit (Daniel Estrada, effective Jan. 2, 2025), multiple postings for public works and engineering positions, acceptance of resignations (including a chief of staff), designation of an administrator stipend, seasonal lists and leave filings, and an amendment to the city policy manual including a minimum wage increase to $15.49 per hour. Council members moved and seconded the personnel motion and voted to approve the items; Delgado recorded an abstention on select items identified during the roll call.
The council also approved a resolution authorizing a service agreement with Selective Benefit Group (to provide retirement planning specialist services for the MassMutual Empower deferred compensation plan). The resolution cites Internal Revenue Code section 457, references NJAC procurement rules, and directs the mayor to execute the service agreement. The motion to approve that consent item was seconded and passed on roll call with Delgado abstaining on that item as well.
Two ordinances were introduced for first reading and referred to public hearing: Ordinance 69‑1, to amend Chapter 7 (Traffic) to add specific on‑street handicap parking spaces at named addresses; and Ordinance 69‑2, to amend Chapter 26 (Flood Damage Prevention) and related flood hazard area language in the city code. Both ordinances were introduced by motion, seconded and carried on roll call for introduction (first reading). Public hearings were not held on those ordinances at this meeting; they were set for later hearings per municipal procedure.
Council members also made routine governing body reports, and a number of appointments to boards and commissions were announced in caucus: planning board member assignments, a Linden District Management Corporation appointment, and a cultural and heritage commission appointment. The council added a walk‑on resolution during the meeting, which the clerk read as part of the consent cluster before roll call.
Votes at a glance: the consent agenda motion (items 2025‑18 through 2025‑112) passed by roll call with recorded abstentions where noted; resolution 2025‑113 authorizing the deferred compensation services agreement passed; ordinances 69‑1 and 69‑2 were introduced for first reading and will return for public hearing.
