By Bonnie Culverhouse
Minden Police and Fire departments are welcoming new personnel, thanks to a vote by Minden City Council Monday night, while one officer was relieved of duty and several were given commendations.
Trevor Tharpe is the newest hire to fight fires, while MPD is bringing on Luke Price and terminating Erikka Means.
Presentation of Life-Saving awards went to Deputy Chief of Police Tokia Harrison, Sgt. Logan Clingan, Off. DJ Anderson Jr., Off. Kendale Booker, Off. Branthony Brown and Off. Cody James.
Harrison and Booker saved the life of a woman by administering CPR until paramedics arrived. Lingan, Anderson, Brown and James also administered CPR to a man who recently shot himself.
Courageous Valor awards went to Joshua Pittman and Michael Douglas, who took on a man with a hammer at Burger King last December. They subdued the man temporarily and possibly saved lives.
“We want to recognize these people and honor them, but also thank the city council for giving us the wherewithal to train our officers for these types of situations,” Minden Police Chief Jared McIver said. “And Reserve Officer Brian Sparks, who has trained them in these medical procedures.”
One of the most important presentations was a proclamation to Emma Kate Fox, who won first place and will represent the Southern Region in the National Student Auditions, a singing competition. (See a story on Emma Kate in a future edition of the Webster Parish Journal.)
In other business, the Minden City Council approved the following agenda items:
• A resolution declaring certain City of Minden property as surplus and fixing the terms of sale;
• A resolution authorizing May Nick Cox to execute a Cooperative Purchasing Agreement between City of Minden and City of Morgan City regarding an electrical Grounding transformer and substation disconnect/isolation switches;
• A resolution authorizing Mayor Cox to accept the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) Airport Infrastructure Grant, project titled Construct/Expand Hangar from the Federal Aviation Administration for the construction of Minden Airport box hangars and inter into a grant agreements with the FAA;
• Ordinance No. 1159 to sell property to the Sheppard Street Cemetery Association, Inc.
• Ordinance No. 1160 to authorize and act of sale by the City of Minden to sell certain adjudicated properties by public auction; and,
• Ordinance No. 1161 to levy tax mills for the year 2025.
In addition, the council heard reports from its Finance Department, Police and Fire, as well as a lobbyist report by Caroline E. Mladenka, MPA and a Legislative update from Rep. Wayne McMahen.
