Linden mayor outlines redevelopment, green projects and revenue forecasts in State of the City address

Mayor Derek Armstead delivered the city’s annual State of the City address to the Linden City Council, highlighting recent redevelopment, job gains and three renewable-energy projects that he said will add recurring revenue and training opportunities.

Armstead framed the address as a progress report and outlook, saying the city has “a record of over 24,000 plus Linden residents who have secured jobs in this town” and that the municipal tax base has been rebuilt through targeted redevelopment and new commercial tenants. “Our downtown area has a very low vacancy rate and continues to employ hundreds of residents,” Armstead said.

The mayor singled out three renewable-energy projects as near-term revenue sources. “This renewable project, when completed and fully operational, will generate $440,000 annual for Linden, with $40,000 being used to train Linden High School students in waste water treatment and gasification technologies,” Armstead said, referring to a biosolid gasification facility. He also said RNG Energy has broken ground on a “400,000,000 facility” to convert food waste into natural gas and that the revenue from that project “will be well over $1,000,000 annually when they're up and running.” Taken together, Armstead said, “with these 3 green projects alone, the city will will receive close to $2,000,000 per year while saving the city the maintenance and engineering fees at the landfill.”

On redevelopment, Armstead listed completed and near-complete projects and the revenue they are projected to produce over multi-decade terms. He said City Village is expected to bring “$12,000,000 to our city coffers over the next 30 years,” Meridian’s Transit Village about “$16,000,000,” Meridian 1001 about “$30,000,000,” Linden Station Apartments about “$25,000,000,” and a Butch Springs Suites/ CubeSmart/Hotel project about “$13,000,000” over 30 years. He also pointed to warehousing development in the Linden Logistics Center and a new FedEx facility as contributors to the expanded tax base and employment.

Armstead addressed affordable housing as an ongoing challenge and said a team is working on it; he described the city’s approach as “multi pronged,” involving government, private sector and community engagement. He also introduced two new municipal staff members — Leticia Clark as business administrator and Tara Chapman as acting chief of staff — and recognized city employees and volunteers for event programming and community services.

The mayor ended by thanking retirees and family members and urged continued focus on inclusivity and unity. “Let us strive to create more inclusive, equitable, and sustainable city in which everyone has the opportunity to thrive,” he said.

Ending

Armstead’s address was primarily a progress report and celebration of development milestones; he provided projected revenue figures and project descriptions but did not place any new ordinances or budget proposals on the record during this meeting. Several council members and officials offered brief congratulatory remarks and there were no substantive policy votes tied directly to the mayor’s presentation at this session.