Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Economic Development topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Mayor Armstead: Linden financially sound, cites jobs, warehousing and green projects
Summary
At a Linden City Council meeting, Mayor Derek Armstead delivered the annual State of the City, citing job growth, new industrial and retail developments, and three “green” projects he said will produce ongoing revenue for the city.
Mayor Derek Armstead delivered Linden’s annual State of the City address at a council meeting, saying the city is "financially sound, ever expanding, and on a path to continued success." He outlined recent and planned economic development, new retail and warehouse projects, and renewable-energy initiatives that he said will generate recurring city revenue and local jobs.
Armstead framed the remarks as an update on why the projects matter to Linden residents. He pointed to a record number of residents who have secured employment and to recent private investments that, he said, have expanded the city’s tax base and created jobs in construction and operations.
The mayor listed commercial tenants at Legacy Square and new and planned businesses the city will host, and he highlighted several large industrial and logistics developments. He said one new renewable-energy manufacturing project would "generate $440,000 annually for Linden, with $40,000 being used to train Linden High School students in wastewater treatment and gasification." He also said the three green projects together would bring “close to $2,000,000 per year” to the city and that one previously vacant property is expected to contribute "$12,000,000 to our city coffers over the next 2 years." He described other projects contributing to the tax base, including CubeSmart and a FedEx warehouse.
Armstead said Linden has seen nearly 24,000 residents secure jobs ("over 24,000 plus Linden residents"), called the local vacancy rate low, and listed major retail and dining tenants in Legacy Square. He also said Linden has about "8,000,000 square feet of warehousing" built under the current administration and referenced additional planned warehouse space.
The mayor acknowledged workforce and affordable-housing challenges and said the city has a team working on affordable housing solutions. He also introduced new municipal staff by name: Tisha Clark, identified as the business administrator, and Tara Chapman, identified as acting chief of staff.
Direct quotes in this article come from Mayor Derek Armstead’s prepared remarks during the State of the City address.
The mayor closed by asking the community to continue celebrating Linden’s diversity and by offering thanks to city staff, volunteers and family members who he said supported the administration.
