The January Minden City Council meeting started off the year with some new faces in some new positions, with the council voting upon the mayor’s recommendation for a new mayor pro tempore as well as a new city clerk.
Mayor Nick Cox recommended City Councilman Andy Pendergrass of District E as the mayor pro tempore for the year of 2024. The former mayor pro tempore, Councilman Michael Roy of District D, made the motion to move forward with the mayor’s recommendation, seconded by Councilwoman Latasha Mitchell of District C, and passed with four votes, with Pendergrass abstaining.
Next up was the appointment of a new city clerk. With Michael Fluhr’s term having ended at the end of 2023, the city needed someone new to take up the position. To no surprise, Melaney Langford was recommended as the new city clerk, as she had been working for the city for many years and specifically under Fluhr over the past year to be fully prepared to take up the position.
“I just want to thank y’all for allowing me to be the city clerk. I know I have a lot of learning to do, but I have a great team behind me and am determined, so I’ll get there,” said Langford in regards to her appointment.
The council unanimously voted in approval of Langford to serve as city clerk for a three year term starting from January 1, 2024 through December 31, 2026.
Along with the approval of a new mayor pro tempore and city clerk, the council also had to vote on authorizing the signatory power to sign checks. The purpose of this is so that, if something were to happen to the mayor, the city employees’ checks would continue to get signed. This simply was shifted from the last mayor pro tempore, Councilman Roy, to the new tempore, Councilman Pendergrass. The newly elected city clerk Langford already had signatory powers which simply carried over into the new year, but new signatory power did need to be granted to the new Assistant City Clerk Elizabeth Campbell. This motion was approved unanimously by the council.
Shortly after that, the council also unanimously approved for City Clerk Langford to be granted credit card signatory powers.
Upon the recommendation of Police Chief Jared McIver, the council voted to promote Shawn Griffith from the rank of Sergeant to Police Lieutenant. The promotion was passed unanimously.
The Minden City Council meeting takes place on the first Monday of each month starting at 6 PM at Minden City Hall. The meeting is open to the public to attend, and for those that cannot attend in person, or who wish to view the meeting after the fact, the meetings are live streamed on the city’s Facebook page and YouTube channel titled City of Minden – Feels Like Home.