By Bonnie Culverhouse
Although Mayor Nick Cox says he has not yet been approached by someone hoping to open a sexually-oriented business, the Minden City Council voted 4-1 Monday to amend and reenact a zoning ordinance for that type of business, which includes defining such business and limiting its location to the B-4 Highway Commercial District. The ordinance includes separation requirements from schools, churches, residential uses, and other protected uses; providing regulations for exterior appearance and signage; and providing for related matters.
Cox said the ordinance was a West Monroe model.
District A councilman Carlton “Buddy” Myles told other council members he is uncomfortable voting on the ordinance at this time.
“I don’t feel like we’ve done our due diligence on this yet,” Myles said. “We need to do more work. We don’t have maps or anything.”
While District D councilman Michael Roy and District E councilman Andy Pendergrass agreed with Myles, they voted in favor of the ordinance, saying they felt it was better to have something in place until the time comes when they can study the ordinance closer.
Final vote was 4-1, with Myles casting the only dissenting vote.
Minden Police Department has two new officers and the Minden Fire Department has a new firefighter thanks to a unanimous council vote to hire them at Monday’s meeting at Minden City Hall.
Jon Gaskins and Jeremiah Carroll are the newest additions to MPD, while Mason Lewis is the fire department’s most recent hire.
Other items on the agenda that were unanimously approved include:
• Adopt Resolution – Amending the City of Minden 2026-2027 Budget;
• Adopt Resolution – Ratifying Mayor Cox’s Entrance into a Cooperative Endeavor Agreement with the State of Louisiana through the Division of Administration’s Office of Facility Planning and Control and Authorizing Mayor Cox Execute on Behalf and in the Name of the City of Minden Any and All Documents Pertaining to Capital Outlay Funds for the City of Minden Robertson Lift Station Improvements, Planning, and Construction;
• Adopt Resolution – Authorizing Mayor Cox to Enter into a Cooperative Endeavor Agreement with the Louisiana Department of the Treasury and the State of Louisiana for Funding from Act 961 of the 2026 Regular Legislative Session Line-Item Appropriation of $125,000 Ordinances;
• Authority for Mayor Cox to Execute an Engagement Agreement to Retain the Services of Benjamin Gaines of Gachassin Gaines, LLC to Serve as “Outside Counsel” for the City of Minden Under the Supervision of the City Attorney;
• Authority for Mayor Cox to Enter into Agreements Between the City of Minden and the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP) to Accept Funds from the FY 2023 and FY 2024 State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Programs (SLCGP); and,
• Authority to Advertise for Bids for the Marshall Street Water Improvement Project.
