By Paige Gurgainers
A $25,000 settlement paid by the City of Minden earlier this year has drawn scrutiny after records show the payment was made without a demand letter, lawsuit, council vote or prior public discussion.
According to documents obtained under the Freedom of Information Act (FOI) by the Webster Parish Journal, the settlement was approved by Mayor Pro Tempore, Carleton “Buddy” Myles on the advice and under the direction of city attorney, Jimbo Yocom, while Mayor Nick Cox was on a family vacation out of state.
In a July letter to the Louisiana Legislative Auditor, Yocom said the action was lawful under Minden’s pre-1974 charter, which he claims allows for certain pre-litigation settlements without following state statutes that typically require council approval.
The payment was issued to resolve an undisclosed matter involving a claimant whose personal vehicle was also repaired at public expense. City records show $1,912.57 was paid from municipal funds on June 12 to Midas in Abilene, Texas, on a city-issued credit card to repair the claimant’s vehicle. No public explanation has been provided for this separate expense.
Travel receipts also confirm that a Minden police detective visited Abilene on June 11, two days before the release was signed and the $25,000 check issued on June 13. The purpose of the trip or its connection to the case, though it occurred within the timeline of settlement negotiations, has not been publicly released.
In a statement, the city attorney maintained that all actions taken were “in good faith” and lawful under the city’s charter. The city clerk, Melaney Langford, and assistant clerk, Elizabeth Campbell, Yocom said, acted upon his direct instructions in processing the payments.
On July 24, 2025, Cox self-reported the expenditures to the Louisiana Legislative Auditor, seeking guidance on how to handle the matter procedurally. The auditor’s office has confirmed it is currently reviewing the case.
Officials have not indicated whether additional information about the settlement, the detective’s travel, or the vehicle repair will be made public.
(Editor’s Note: See more in Tuesday’s Webster Parish Journal.)