By Bonnie Culverhouse
The City of Minden will be able to move forward after the city council nominated and elected a mayor pro tem for the remainder of 2022.
District A councilman Wayne Edwards was elected unanimously to moderate the meeting and then fill the seat of mayor pro tem, with all councilpersons present except District B councilwoman Terika Williams-Walker.
“This council has a tough job,” Edwards said. “We don’t need to be extremely negative. We need to work in such a manner that everything we do and say is what’s best for the city.
“This council elected me mayor pro tem,” he continued. “I should hope the people that elected me know what type of individual I am.”
Edwards said he is on the side that of what’s right.
“If there are some things that have to be done, I’m always open for discussion,” he said. “That’s the path that I’m going to take.”
Before the meeting began in earnest, city attorney Jimbo Yocom gave the public an overview of where the city stands, following the recent death of Mayor Terry Gardner and what the procedures should be going forward.
“It’s a precarious time – a time of uncertainty,” Yocom said. “The council is functioning in every capacity as it should be. The city is still moving forward.”
Three additions to the agenda were necessary in order to move on with the meeting. It was a unanimous decision to amend the agenda to vote on a mayor pro tem and give that person signatory powers. The vote for Edwards was also unanimous in both regards.
However, when District E councilwoman Pam Bloxom made a motion to add an interim mayor to the agenda, naming former mayor Tommy Davis to the proposal, it failed with a 2-2 vote. Edwards and District C councilman Vincen Bradford voted against the motion, saying they wanted all the council present for that discussion.
“Electing an interim mayor for the rest of the year is something that should be done by the entire council,” Edwards said, referring to Williams-Walker’s absence. “If we do something smart and real prudent, we need to all get on the same page.”
On all the agenda items, the council voted unanimously in favor, with the exception of the minutes of June’s meeting, which Bradford voted against. When Williams-Walker returns, Edwards will have the power to call a special meeting to vote for and appoint an interim mayor for the city until the fall election takes place, a new mayor is elected and that person takes the oath of office.
