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Kenneth Williams -
Beaumont City Council
After two hours of public dialogue, Kenneth Williams was officially appointed by the City Council as the new Beaumont City Manager, effective Sept. 6, the city announced immediately after the 4/3 vote of elected leaders.
The three dissenting council votes – from Randy Feldschau, Mike Getz and Taylor Neild – were due to the voiced concerns of a severance package included in the new City Manager’s agreement/contract that would provide a quarter-million dollar payout in the event that Williams were to commit any number of acts that would otherwise serve as legitimate reasons for termination.
As read in the original agreement posted in advance of the council vote, Williams would receive a year’s pay – $250,000 – if fired in the first two years of employment for:
“a) Failure to fulfill the City Manager’s Duties as required in this Agreement, City Charter, or City Code of Ordinances;
“b) Incompetence or inefficiency in the performance of the City Manager’s Duties as documented by evaluations, supplemental memoranda, or other written communication from the Council; with Council being the entire board and not as individuals;
“c) Failure to comply with Applicable Laws and Authorities;
“d) Neglect of duties;
“e) Knowingly falsifying records or documents related to the City’s activities; and/or
“f) Knowingly misrepresenting material facts to the Council or other City officials in the conduct of the City’s business.
“g) Disability, not otherwise protected by law, that impairs performance of the required duties of the Manager;
“h) Engaging in a romantic or sexual relationship with a subordinate;
“i) Violation of the ICMA / TCMA Code of Ethics; and/ or
“j) Any other reason constituting ‘good cause’ under established Texas law.
The final agreement, as the employment contract was was still being amended at the time of the meeting, resulted in Item H, aka “engaging in a romantic or sexual relationship with a subordinate,” being moved to the category of reasons the City Manager can be terminated without severance pay. After being brought to her attention, City Attorney Sharae Reed said she negotiated with Williams to remove the provision that he be paid if found to have engaged in a romantic or sexual relationship with a subordinate.
The only other reasons the City Manager would not receive full severance is if he is fired for “conviction of a felony or crime involving moral turpitude; (or) conviction for having assaulted an employee or citizen of the city.”
Mayor Robin Mouton and councilmembers Audwin Samuel, Charles Durio and AJ Turner voted to accept the employment arrangement – as well as the severance package to be paid in the event the City Manager is fired “for cause” in the future.
“Williams was the most qualified and had the best skillset to usher the city of Beaumont into a new era,” Mouton said in a prepared city communication released moments after the split vote and prior to the meeting’s end.
“It’s an exciting time for me – a good time, and a time of opportunity,” Williams said of his appointment in Beaumont, where he is expected to reside before he assumes duties of the city’s top employee. “Beaumont, I think, I see some things there, and some of the challenges, and I think I have a unique skill set. Beaumont has great potential…
“My vision: Basically, build a strong foundation. The house is stronger when the foundation is strongest.”
View Williams’ employment arrangement, as posted in the City Council Agenda Packet for Aug. 9, at www.theexaminer.com. The final contract for employment will be posted when the city makes it available for public review.