By Bonnie Culverhouse

City of Minden is prepared for the chance of snow showers and freezing rain predicted by weather reports Thursday and Friday.

Public Works Director Tyler Wallace said bags filled with dirt are at the city’s Talton Street yard location to help with iced driveways, while city trucks are on standby to help with slippery streets and bridges.

“We keep about 150 (bags) for the public to pick up …  you have to bring proof you are a City of Minden resident,” Wallace said.

Wallace said he will watch reports and crews will put down the first layer of dirt prior to the start of freezing precipitation.

“We usually start with Depot Hill,” he said, referring to the steep hill on Shreveport Road, leading to and from the railroad tracks. “Even though it’s a state highway, we always start with steep hills. Once we get caught up with those, we catch calls.”

Depending on when those calls are made, they may come to city hall, 911 or the Minden Police Department, he said.

“The police may call us directly when they are patrolling and let us know a particular street is getting pretty icy, and we will go put dirt on it,” Wallace said. “We will ride around and catch spots, especially on places like Homer Road. We keep a running list each year because we know which ones (streets) are bad.”

He feels inclement weather is a time for the city to pull together, and his department proves it.

“There are so many pieces to this – all the power meters and water meters,” he said. “The line crew helps the water crew and the other way around. Some of us are just riding around, pulling people out of ditches. We’re helping each other, giving employees rides to work and helping the citizens.”