(Editor’s note: This is Part 1 of an exclusive interview with Mayor Nick Cox concerning the utility contract between City of Minden, SWEPCO and LEPA. See Part 2 of this interview in Wednesday’s Webster Parish Journal.)

By Bonnie Culverhouse

In a unanimous move Monday night, Minden City Council voted to give Mayor Nick Cox the authority to enter into a contract with Louisiana Energy and Power Authority to supply electricity to the citizens of Minden.

“Getting through the vote is a monumental step,” said Cox, and it’s a step that should lead to lower bills for those paying for utilities in Minden.

In an exclusive interview, Cox said steps have been taken to dissolve a long-standing contract with Southwestern Electric Power Company (SWEPCO).

Cox said attorneys Kean Miller, Neil Erwin and Jimbo Yocum advised him to present the LEPA contract at the council meeting, call for the vote and move on with minimal discussion.

LEPA could potentially provide Minden with utilities as soon as June 1, 2025. The term would be five years.

“Here is the crux of the matter,” Cox said, “we are in year 16 of a 20-year-old contract with SWEPCO.”

That led the council to seek an opinion from the State of Louisiana Department of Justice Civil Division.

According to the State Attorney General, Louisiana Revised Statute 33:41649(B) reads:

Municipalities may obtain water or electric current under contracts extending over a maximum period of fifteen years with private persons, on such terms and conditions as may be agreed upon by the parties. The governing authority of the municipality contracting for such water supply or electric current may bind the municipality, the greening authority and its successors in office to carry out the terms of any such contract.

“We don’t have a legal contract anymore with SWEPCO due to this state statute,” Cox said.

The mayor described SWEPCO as the city’s power broker under the original contract.

“The transmission actually comes through Entergy,” he said. “The utility power comes through Entergy. But the broker of the deal was SWEPCO.

We’ve been pretty clear for years that we’ve wanted out of the contract.”

Cox said Minden has lost residents and business opportunities because of high utility bills.

“We know this is the right thing for the citizens of Minden,” he said about the change.

Councilman Buddy Myles who, along with Councilman Andy Pendergrass, has worked with the mayor on this project. Myles also feels Monday was a monumental day for Minden.

“This is a perfect example of what can be achieved when a dedicated team works together toward a common goal,” Myles said. “This initiative will provide much-needed relief to local businesses, helping to strengthen their bottom line. It also enhances our ability to compete with neighboring cities for new opportunities and businesses, driving the economic growth and development that our community both wants and needs.”

And relief is in sight from high energy bills.

“To our citizens, we have been working for you, and this long-awaited relief is finally here,” Myles continued. “With inflation putting pressure on everyone, it’s a true blessing to put money back where it belongs—in your pockets. Knowing that our efforts will benefit every resident of this great city is incredibly rewarding.”

Pendergrass said it did not take long after being sworn in to office in January of 2023 for “Mayor Cox, Councilman Myles, and myself to realize that Minden’s new unified council could turn things around for the city.

“After discussing many things, the three of us agreed that we should take a shot at solving Minden’s power cost crisis,” he continued. “Our thought was, if we solve it, everything else we would work on changes for the better. If we take a shot and miss, everything else we would work on wouldn’t change.”

So, they took the shot.

“Now here we are, two years later, we attended dozens of meetings, exchanged hundreds of emails and phone calls, unanimous council votes to hire lawyers and consultants, and countless hours spent studying contracts. We believe that it was all worth it to bring relief to every residence and business in our city.”

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