Oct. 21, Beaumont City Council took actions aimed at improving city services and infrastructure including; but not limited to:
• Water Bill Grace Period: Council amended Chapter 22 of the City Code to establish a 10-day grace period for water bill late fees, effective immediately. The change followed comparisons to billing practices in neighboring cities and will be reviewed further in a future workshop.
• Fee Schedule Adjustments: Council updated the Master Fee Schedule for water, sewer, and environmental health rates to reflect new fiscal year rates and compliance with Senate Bill 1008. Senior citizens will continue to benefit from the approved water and sewer rate freeze and does not change the 0% water and 8% sewer rate increases approved by city council Sept. 16.
• Quiet Zone Median Reconstruction: A $422,000 contract was awarded to SETEX for reconstruction of medians at eight railroad crossings in the city’s West End Quiet Zone to maintain federal compliance. Work is expected to begin in December and conclude by late February 2026.
• Home Repair Program: The council approved $814,000 in Community Development Block Grant funds for the Owner-Occupied Minor Repair Program, providing assistance for about 32 qualified homes.
• Unsafe Structures: Forty-three structures were declared unsafe and slated for demolition within 10 days unless repaired by the owners. Seven properties were removed from the original list to allow owners to enter work programs.
Just ahead of the Oct. 21 meeting, Oct. 15, elected officials reached a new four-year agreement with the Beaumont Police Officers Association (BPOA) following three days of contract negotiations.
According to information provided by the city, the agreement provides a 5% annual wage increase each year over the life of the contract, along with enhanced incentive pay for officers.
“Public safety is at the heart of everything we do,” said City Manager Kenneth Williams. “This contract not only supports our officers but also ensures we can continue to provide the high level of service that our residents expect and deserve. I would like to thank BPOA for working collaboratively with the city of Beaumont to create a win-win-win situation for BPOA, the city of Beaumont and the people of our community.”
BPOA President Aaron Lewallen praised the process, noting early engagement played a key role in the successful outcome.
“We are very appreciative of the city being willing to negotiate in advance, which allowed them to meet our needs and forecast for the future of the city,” said Lewallen.