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Linden City Manager/EDC Director announced to the Linden Lions Club Thursday that he would soon be leaving his position. For Lee Elliott and Linden, it has come full circle. What began three years ago with a joke about the conditions of the roads when he accepted the city’s offer for the town leadership job now comes with a reminder of how far things have come. Elliotts background was that he had been a city manager in five states around the country. He would seek interim assignments, sometimes even troublesome ones, as a way of gaining practical experience for his undergraduate history and graduate economics degrees from the University of Central Arkansas. Elliott learned the Linden people wanted their streets fixed, almost above all else. So when he came to talk to the Lions that noon Thursday of September 2021, he started with a big smile and joke. “My father always used to tell me to be 15 minutes ahead of time,” he began. “And I know I’m late today. You see, I fell in one of those street potholes.” Everyone laughed at the time. After the lighthearted quip, Elliott went on to accept the street improvement challenge. Now three years later, last Thursday, he spoke again to the Lions at noon. Several in the room knew that he would be concluding his service to Linden. “Three years ago, I told you a joke. I want to do it again,” Lee said with a smile. “I was late this day. I got stopped by Police Chief David Dulude ► See for going too fast on one of our new roads.”