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Barbara Jackson was sworn in as the District 5 city councilor by City Attorney Woody Dinning on Feb. 4. She will assist the city in needs of streets and sanitation. Jackson, the widow of Neal Jackson who died a month ago while holding the same office, was put up by Councilor Vonda Wilson.

“I felt like she was capable of doing the job,” Wilson said.

The position will be up for re-election in a few months, and during the intermediate period Wilson wanted B. Jackson to serve in memory of her late husband.

Due to issues with the HVAC system heating Linden City Hall unequally, the city council also approved Marlowe Electric Heating & Air Conditioning installing a new unit, for a total of three in the building, and reworking air ducts for $5,500.

“Something needs to be done,” Mayor Charles Moore said.

Tammy Glass, Marengo County Extension SNAP-Ed nutrition educator, approached the city council for permission to proceed with street improvements associated with the ALProHealth grant.

The grant was awarded in 2019 as part of the Alabama Cooperative Extension System’s ALProHealth program.

Shiloh Street has been striped, adding a bike/walking lane, and now Glass hopes to add signage. She also intends to add lighting on 6th Avenue and to connect Main Street and 6th Avenue with a crosswalk. She plans to put more pedestrian lights along Main Street in the downtown area.

The city council approved her request.

Ola Ford, Xonome Bryant and Glenda Hayes also approached the council on behalf of the Linden High School baseball team and the booster club asking to use the concession stand on game days. They also asked for a donation from the city. Though the city is unable to use public funds for donation, they did amend the Linden City School System’s budget by $2,000, in addition to approving the concession stand use.

The board also approved Ida Price to use it throughout the summer.

Other items discussed by the council include:

• Betty Smyly and Nell Stokes were reappointed to the Marengo County Nursing Home Board.

• The city council also discussed recent road damage that occurred while two railroad crossings for Meridian & Bigbee Railroad were being repaired. Miller, Moore and Oakley avenues and S. Shiloh Street were damaged, and the state will patch the roads. The city council is also working to get in contact with the company that was contracted by the railroad to do the repairs, as they did not obtain a business license with the city.

• At the council’s request, Alston will also look into purchasing a traffic camera for Linden, though he said it will likely to be an expensive addition to the city.