By Bonnie Culverhouse
To many folks, 500 sounds like a lot, but to Nick Cox, his first 500 days as Minden’s Mayor have flown.
“It’s one of the busiest but at the same time, one of the best jobs on the planet,” Cox said. “There are so many things you have to have working knowledge of.”
In one day, he laughed, he can go from sewage to police to recreation to an angry ball parent.
“The best thing I do is have a schedule,” he said, pointing to the board behind him. “Plan my work and work my plan.”
It’s his motto.
“If I structure my day, it goes a lot better,” he said. “If I don’t, I can end up way off into something else.”
From the time he took the oath of office, Cox had a plan for Minden. And he is “getting more done than I ever dreamed we’d be able to do.”
He credits the city council, only one of whom has held office previously.
“The council we have matches my ambition, and the synergy there is really unbelievable,” said Cox. “They’re bringing ideas … it has to be God. They’re all financially responsible people … no one is frivolous, so we are doing a lot with the same money we had before.”
Cox has a list that includes plans that are complete, in progress and in the near future.
Completed projects include lights in Beaver Creek subdivision, Love the Boot litter and condemnations clean-up and raising funds for a new animal shelter.
With a grant and the Pet Mayor fundraiser, the city will be able to complete the new shelter, which is also on Cox’s “in-progress” list.
“Minden Police Department is now in charge of Animal Control, but Brent Cooley is still in charge of our buildings, so he is currently meeting with the architect and plans are under way to start building the shelter,” the mayor said. “And thanks to the $21,000 raised from the Pet Mayor’s contest, we will be able to provide heating and air conditioning for the animals – something the shelter has never had.”
City of Minden has several projects in progress. Please watch Webster Parish Journal for more stories on the following:
Capital Outlay – Clerk street water tank
Building Project – PWCC (Public Works Center)
Building Project – Animal shelter completion
Building Project – Airport taxi expansion
Building Project – Bathrooms on High Street (almost finished)
Clean up Project – Condemnations
Fund Raising – Rec Diamond Club
Promotional Projects – Building this City Video Podcast
Street Projects
Improvements – Audio/Video Equipment for Minden Civic Center
Improvements – Remodel Community House, including new audio/video
Improvements – Shreveport Road Water Main: Replace 100-year-old main