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Tommy Davis (view source)

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Upon his becoming mayor, Davis' District D seat on the Minden City Council became vacant. He was first elected to the council on September 30, 2006, when he defeated the then Democrat [[Terry Gardner]], 481 (58.1 percent) to 346 (41.8 percent).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://staticresults.sos.la.gov/09302006/09302006_60.html|title=Webster Parish primary election returns, September 30, 2006|publisher=staticresults.sos.la.gov|accessdate=October 19, 2013}}</ref> The council voted unanimously on November 5 to appoint another Republican businessman, Michael Scott "Mike" Toland (born September 1959), to fill Davis' council seat.<ref name=swearingin/> Toland followed in the steps of his grandfather, Cecil C. Toland (1905-1976), an oil products distributor, who was elected to the city council in 1952.<ref>''Minden Herald'', May 16, 1952, p. 1.</ref> Gardner, a businessman and entrepreneur, was defeated again for the city council in the 2014 primary, that time by Mike Toland.

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After Robertson's death, a letter which he had written while trying to recover from his fatal illness was released. By this means, Robertson posthumously endorsed Davis as his preferred successor should Robertson become unable to complete his term, which extended until January 1, 2015.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.shreveporttimes.com/article/20130702/NEWS01/307020015/Minden-mayor-picks-successor-before-his-death|title=Minden mayor picks successor before his death: Bill Robertson wants Tommy Davis as interim|publisher=''The Shreveport Times'', July 1, 2013|accessdate=July 2, 2013}}</ref> The Minden City Council, however, ignored Robertson's request and voted three-to-two along racial lines to elevate Cornelius as the interim mayor.<ref name=keel>KEEL Radio, Shreveport, Louisiana, July 11, 2013.</ref> On July 19, Davis announced that he would seek to fill through the special election the remaining months of Robertson's term.<ref>"Councilman Tommy Davis announces mayoral bid", ''Minden Press-Herald'', July 19, 2013.</ref>

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Davis is only the third Republican elected mayor of Minden since 1966, the others having been Arthur Thomas "Tom" Colten and [[Paul A. Brown]].<ref name=mayorlist/> The term extended for under fifteen months.<ref name=keel/> Davis ran again in the runoff election on December 6, 2014, for a full term as mayor. He faced a No-Party candidate, Charles Deck "Chad" Odom (born February 1975), who holds a Bachelor of Science in Urban Studies and Regional Planning with an emphasis in International Economic Development from the University of New Orleans.<ref name=whartontx/> In the November 4 primary, Davis led the three-candidate field with 2,045 votes (44.5 percent) to Odom's 1,467 (31.9 percent). In third place was former Mayor Joe Cornelius, Sr., the 2013 losing candidate, with 1,089 votes (23.7 percent).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://staticresults.sos.la.gov/11042014/11042014_60.html|title=Election Results for 11/4/2014|publisher=Louisiana Secretary of State|accessdate=November 5, 2014}}</ref> Odom is the son of Webster Parish former Police Juror Charles D. Odom (born January 1951), an [[Independent voter|Independent]], and Pattie Lou Cook Odom (born October 1951), the Minden municipal downtown and economic development director who lost a race in 1991 as a Democratic candidate for state representative for Webster Parish. Odom's maternal grandfather was Harold Rae "Boe" Cook (1925-1997),<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=Cook&GSfn=H&GSbyrel=all&GSdyrel=all&GSst=20&GScntry=4&GSob=n&GRid=89124069&df=all&|title=Harold Ray "Boe" Cook (1925-1997)|publisher=findagrave.com|accessdate=December 30, 2014}}</ref> the owner of and popular broadcaster for KASO radio in Minden. One of his great-grandfathers was S. P. D. Coyle, a former mayor of Cotton Valley north of Minden, who died in 1955.<ref>"Former Cotton Valley Mayor Dies at Age 97", ''Minden Press'', July 28, 1955, p. 1.</ref>

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Davis prevailed in the runoff by 225 votes, 2,346 (52.5 percent) to Odom's 2,121 (47.5 percent).<ref name=reelection/> Davis said that his narrow victory was "not about me. It's about Minden and where we need to go and where we want to go." Barbara Robertson, widow of former Mayor Bill Robertson, said Davis's victory for a full term was "like fulfilling a dream … This was what he [Robertson] wanted. If he wasn't mayor, he wanted it for Tommy." Mrs. Robertson said that Davis like her husband understands the importance of reserve funds in case of emergencies."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://press-herald.com/tommy-davis-wins-full-term-as-minden-mayor/|title=Tommy Davis wins full term as Minden mayor|author=Bonnie Culverhouse|publisher=''Minden Press-Herald''|accessdate=December 8, 2014}}</ref>

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Chad Odom said that while he was temporarily discouraged by his defeat: "We caused some of the most powerful people in Minden to spend a lot of money trying to beat a good idea. We're not going away, not going to pretend this didn't happen. The important thing is we continue pushing toward what we want as a community."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://press-herald.com/odom-keep-pushing-minden-forward/|title=Odom: Keep pushing Minden forward|author=Pat Culverhouse|publisher=''Minden Press-Herald''|accessdate=December 8, 2014}}</ref> However, Chad Odom soon left Minden to become the economic development director for Port Lavaca, [[Texas]]. In January 2017, he took the position as executive director of Wharton Economic Development Corporation, a Type B Sales Tax Corporation, in Wharton, Texas.<ref name=whartontx>{{cite web|url=http://press-herald.com/chad-odom-tapped-as-executive-director-of-wedco/|title=Chad Odom tapped as executive director of WEDCo.|publisher=''Minden Press-Herald''|date=December 16, 2016|accessdate=December 19, 2016}}</ref>

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Pattie Odom terminated as Economic and Downtown Development Director|publisher=''Minden Press-Herald''|accessdate=December 30, 2014}}</ref> Davis said that economic development work would cotinue in his administration.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.shreveporttimes.com/story/news/local/2014/12/30/minden-mayor-fires-downtown-development-director/21068979/|title=Minden mayor fires downtown development director|publisher=''The Shreveport Times''|author=Vickie Welborn|date=December 30, 2014|accessdate=December 31, 2014}}</ref> The establishment of the position of economic development director is a result of an assessment through the Louisiana Development Ready Communities, a plan to assist a city regarding economic and residential development.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.shreveporttimes.com/story/news/local/2015/01/22/minden-searches-economic-development-director/22147811/|title=Minden searches for economic development director|publisher=''The Shreveport Times''|author=Vickie Welborn|date=January 21, 2015|accessdate=January 22, 2015}}</ref>

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Odom appealed her termination, but the city council in an open forum unanimously upheld the dismissal. Odom indicated that she would consider legal action against the city. Davis said that had the council voted to rehire Odom, she would have had to remain in her previous position, which no longer exists because of reorganization.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://press-herald.com/minden-city-council-denies-odoms-appeal-of-termination/|title=Minden City Council denies Odom's appeal of termination|publisher=''Minden Press-Herald''|author=Bonnie Culverhouse|date=January 8, 2015|accessdate=January 9, 2015}}</ref> The city could not hire a new director until enabling legislation passes the legislature in Baton Rouge. Then state Representative [[Gene Reynolds]] introduced a bill favored by Mayor Davis and the city council which would permit the mayor alone with council concurrence to exert all power regarding the hiring and firing of a new economic development director. Meanwhile, all seven members of the previous economic development board resigned. The city hence has no board or no director on duty.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://press-herald.com/city-must-await-legislation-before-appointing-downtown-board-director/|title=City must await legislation before appointing downtown board, director|author=Bonnie Culverhouse|publisher=''Minden Press-Herald''|accessdate=March 12, 2015}}</ref> James Graham, an African-American native of [[Virginia]] and formerly from [[Delaware]], began work as the city's new economic development director on August 6, 2015. Davis said that the city was working to obtain land which businesses can immediately occupy upon their relocation to Minden. The focus was on water, sewer, and electrical infrastructure, he said.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://press-herald.com/new-economic-development-director-excited-to-get-to-work/|title=New Economic Development Director Excited to Get to Work|publisher=''Minden Press-Herald''|author=Michelle Bates|accessdate=August 7, 2015}}</ref>

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Mrs. Odom appealed her termination, but the city council in an open forum unanimously upheld the dismissal. Odom indicated that she would consider legal action against the city. Davis said that had the council voted to rehire Odom, she would have had to remain in her previous position, which no longer exists because of reorganization.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://press-herald.com/minden-city-council-denies-odoms-appeal-of-termination/|title=Minden City Council denies Odom's appeal of termination|publisher=''Minden Press-Herald''|author=Bonnie Culverhouse|date=January 8, 2015|accessdate=January 9, 2015}}</ref> The city could not hire a new director until enabling legislation passes the legislature in Baton Rouge. Then state Representative [[Gene Reynolds]] introduced a bill favored by Mayor Davis and the city council which would permit the mayor alone with council concurrence to exert all power regarding the hiring and firing of a new economic development director. Meanwhile, all seven members of the previous economic development board resigned. The city hence has no board or no director on duty.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://press-herald.com/city-must-await-legislation-before-appointing-downtown-board-director/|title=City must await legislation before appointing downtown board, director|author=Bonnie Culverhouse|publisher=''Minden Press-Herald''|accessdate=March 12, 2015}}</ref> James Graham, an African-American native of [[Virginia]] and formerly from [[Delaware]], began work as the city's new economic development director on August 6, 2015. Davis said that the city was working to obtain land which businesses can immediately occupy upon their relocation to Minden. The focus was on water, sewer, and electrical infrastructure, he said.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://press-herald.com/new-economic-development-director-excited-to-get-to-work/|title=New Economic Development Director Excited to Get to Work|publisher=''Minden Press-Herald''|author=Michelle Bates|accessdate=August 7, 2015}}</ref>

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==Mayoral matters==

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In a campaign characterized primarily by aggressive use of yard signs, Gardner emerged from the primary victorious over Newer by 37 votes: 2,164 to 2,127. Turnout was 53.7 percent of registered voters.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://voterportal.sos.la.gov/Graphical|title=Election Returns|date=November 6, 2018|publisher=Louisiana Secretary of State|accessdate=November 7, 2018}}</ref>

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==Personal life==

A native of Stephens in Ouachita County in south [[Arkansas]], Davis graduated in 1960 from Stephens High School. Prior to becoming mayor, Davis had been involved in several Minden businesses. He has three children, Scott Patrick Davis (born September 12, 1966), Stanley Paul Davis (born January 25, 1968), and Suzanne Davis Burkett (born March 25, 1972), from his first marriage to the former Vernie Bryan (1943-1996),<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.death-record.com/d/n/Vernie-Davis|title=Death Records: Vernie B. Davis|publisher=death-record.com|accessdate=October 19, 2013}}</ref> daughter of Floyd Thomas Bryan (1903-1956) and Mercie Mae Bryan (1907-2010) of Stephens, Arkansas.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=Bryan&GSbyrel=all&GSdyrel=all&GSst=4&GScnty=144&GScntry=4&GSob=n&GRid=162444528&df=all&|title=Floyd Thomas Bryan|publisher=Findagrave.com|accessdate=July 28, 2017}}</ref> Vernie Davis was a teacher at Minden High School and later the private Glenbrook School in Minden. The Davises lived for twelve years in [[Fort Smith, Arkansas|Fort Smith]], Arkansas, before they returned to Minden in the late 1970s. She is interred at Gardens of Memory Cemetery in Minden.<ref>Vernie Davis obituary, ''Minden Press-Herald'', October 28, 1996, p. 1.</ref>

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