As he enters his fourth year in office, Minden Mayor Nick Cox points to a mix of infrastructure upgrades, facility improvements and policy changes he says are aimed at strengthening the city’s capacity and preparing for future growth.
Among the major projects currently in progress is an expansion at the city airport that will add two hangars, funded largely through grant dollars. The additional hangars are expected to generate rental income and boost fuel sales.
“We make pretty good revenue on aviation fuel,” Cox said.
The city is also nearing completion of a new animal shelter, which is awaiting a certificate of occupancy from the state Fire Marshal. Cox said he hopes to hold a ribbon cutting in March.
Water system improvements are another focus. A new ground storage tank on Clerk Street will hold 2 million gallons — four times the capacity of the downtown water tower — and is being funded primarily through grants.
“It gives us more capacity. It helps us be more resilient if we have a break; we won’t run out of stored water as quickly,” Cox said.
Six electrical transmission line poles, which had to be custom made and took two years to receive, have arrived and are scheduled for installation this year. Cox said the poles are critical to strengthening the city’s electrical infrastructure.
Phase I of the Shreveport Road water main replacement has also been completed, with most of the work paid for through grants.
“That line was over 100 years old, and it feeds the whole city,” he said.
Plans are in place to redo Sheppard Street, a project that has been delayed by a dispute over whether the roadway falls under state or city jurisdiction. Cox said he decided the project must move forward regardless.
In addition to projects underway, Cox highlighted several completed initiatives.
At the airport, the city finished a taxiway project that he said has improved operations.
“That made us more attractive to larger aircraft and able to handle more traffic out there,” Cox said.
The city built new bathrooms on High Street and purchased approximately 75 acres of land near the REC for future expansion.
Public works operations were consolidated into a single facility, bringing multiple departments into one location.
“We really worked hard on our public works facility,” Cox said. “Now we don’t have various departments spread throughout the city; they’re all consolidated there together. It worked out really well during the winter storm to have all of us be in the same yard, more or less.”
Using federal American Rescue Plan Act funds, the city remodeled the Community House and upgraded audio systems there and at the Civic Center. The city also purchased several pieces of heavy equipment, resurfaced and repainted the Marquee and Flag parking lots, and completed street improvements in various parts of town.
The city donated the Armory Building to WPPJ for use by the Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness.
Cox said the city hired E & P Consultants to assist with adjudicated properties and recently adopted an Administrative Court ordinance to address blight and other non-criminal violations. The ordinance establishes jurisdiction over civil adjudication and allows for ordering remedial measures and imposing fines, fees, penalties, hearing costs and liens for the correction and abatement of blighted properties.
He described the court as similar to a mayor’s court but said he will not preside over it.
“Hopefully that’ll help get the city looking better, take care of some of the blight,” Cox said.
The city also adopted an underground utility contractor ordinance establishing regulations for the installation of underground utilities and other ground disturbance activities within city limits. The ordinance requires contractors to display permit numbers on equipment and is intended to ensure accountability for damage to city infrastructure.
Looking ahead to 2026-2030, Cox said his goals include expanding the city’s overall capacity to support growth.
“I’d like to double capacity wherever I can. I want twice the water we currently have, twice the sewer. I want to get a more robust power supply so we can take on more businesses,” he said.
Future plans include street improvements such as the Fincher Road extension connecting Homer Road with Industrial Drive, coordinating with the state on repairs to Homer Road, Lewisville Road and Sheppard Street, expanding high-speed internet access, and investing in renovations at the REC.
“We’re always trying to make the city better,” Cox said.