By Bonnie Culverhouse

An ordinance approved last May to establish the City of Minden’s Adjudicated Property Program has already begun to pay off with the first public auction and sale of two parcels.

“The first piece of property we sold went for $26,000,” said Minden Mayor Nick Cox. “So it was insanely successful for an adjudicated sale.”

The sale went through the city’s contract with E&P Consulting, headquartered in Monroe.

E&P works as an agent for the city to help rid them of properties that are described as adjudicated –  that which tax sale title is acquired by a political subdivision, in this case, the City of Minden.

E&P Consulting’s website showed 21 parcels in the Minden City limits and owned by the City of Minden.

“They were floored that it was that successful,” Cox added. “So we sold another one, and that was two off the list, and it looks like the process is going to work.”

Cox said the Webster Parish Police Jury is also using E&P’s process of dealing with property.

“I think throughout the parish we will be able to move a lot of property,” he said. “Between the city and parish, we are sitting on a lot of adjudicated property.”

During a council workshop Monday, District D Councilman Michael Roy asked the mayor what amount of the $26,000 gained from the sale would be realized by the City of Minden.

“According to the judge, the heirs to that property would be entitled to the overage,” Cox explained. “While we made some money on it, we may not necessarily make the entire amount because the heirs of the property would be entitled to it first.”

“But we at least recoup our cost?” Roy asked.

“We are doing that anyway,”Cox replied. “If we mow the grass 10 times, we will recoup every penny of that. Any cost the city incurs … if it’s on the tax lien, we are entitled to recoup immediately.

“Anything the heirs don’t claim,” he continued, “goes to the city.”

In April, Wesley E. Johnson with E&P Consulting Services LLC of Monroe addressed a Minden City Council workshop concerning adjudicated properties.

For original story, with explanation of adjudicated properties and the process, visit https://websterparishjournal.com/2024/05/22/minden-kicks-of-adjudicated-property-program/