By Bonnie Culverhouse
An ordinance that will allow the City of Minden to establish an administrative court was approved unanimously at Monday night’s council meeting.
The idea behind the court is to hear as many cases as possible on one day per month specifically about beautification and keeping up property inside the city limits.
“A lot of our citizens take the way their property looks very seriously, and it’s not fair to have blight in your neighborhood,” Mayor Nick Cox said.
Cox said the city council will appoint a judge. The court will also have a docket clerk to handle proceedings.
A Beautification Committee of “peers” – an advisory role of citizens – will first hear the complaints and recommend to the Building Official whether the case should go to administrative court.
“If you have a neighbor that keeps their property at a very poor standard that doesn’t meet our ordinances, then as a citizen you can bring it to your councilperson, who would submit it to the Building Official,” Cox explained. “Then it will be brought before the Beautification Committee and potentially be brought to administrative court.”
A second ordinance approved by the council will require obtaining of permits by any contractor digging within the city limits of Minden.
There is currently a lot of boring work going on in the city limits. Cox said around 80 percent of water pipe breaks by construction companies are likely responsible for breaks and boil advisories.
“This (ordinance) is for anybody who bores in the city,” he said. “They would have to abide by some new rules we’ve established.”
A large number of boil advisories over the past year, were the result of companies breaching water lines.
The new ordinance covers working hours, potholing/daylighting, safety, street cuts and other practices.
“The construction company will have to pay for the permit,” Cox said. “And they’re going to have to have tags.”
Minden Police Department acquired two new officers. Fabian Carter-Randle and Craig A. Crawford will both join the department, providing they pass all applicable tests. Both have passed the civil service exam and are POST certified.
In other business, the Minden City Council heard the financial report for December 2025, Fire report for January 2026 and Police report for November 2025.
All Minden City Council meetings are held the first Monday of the month – unless there is a holiday – at 6 p.m. in Council Chambers at Minden City Hall. The public is encouraged to attend.
