By Bonnie Culverhouse

Two local officials put their John Hancocks on an agreement Tuesday that was possibly 40 years in the making.

Minden Mayor Nick Cox and Webster Parish Superintendent of Schools Johnny Rowland met in the office of attorney Paul Kitchens to sign a land swap agreement they feel will benefit all involved.

“I told the school board that this discussion began when he (pointing toward Rowland) was still in gym shorts,” Kitchens said.

“I was playing basketball at Sibley,” Rowland responded.

City of Minden handed over the keys to Griffith Memorial Stadium to Webster Parish School Board, while the school board signed property they owned on Clerk Street to the city.

“Griffith is used almost exclusively by Minden High School’s baseball team, so it just makes sense,” Cox said. “And it is close to Minden’s new softball stadium.”

At some point in the future, the city will begin decommissioning and leveling the Clerk Street Water Plant to make space for an improved water infrastructure project.