Beaumont City Hall
Kaitlin Bain/The Enterprise
Beaumont Enterprise
Courtney Pedersen, Staff writer
Beaumont's city manager and a few other staff members could soon see a base pay increase to the tune of thousands of dollars, in addition to a cost of living adjustment given to all city staff members.
During its Tuesday meeting, the Beaumont City Council will vote whether to give raises to the four employees in their charge. The move comes after completing performance reviews with the staff members late last month.
The proposed raises are listed as the last item on the consent agenda, a part of the council's weekly agenda that typically holds routine items that likely would not necessitate lengthy discussion. The requested action is for the council to consider a resolution, which would include an increase in base wages and additional compensation for the City Manager, City Attorney, City Clerk and the Chief Magistrate, according to a memo from City Manger Kenneth Williams.
If passed, all four positions would receive a 2% cost of living increase. The city clerk, attorney and chief magistrate would receive a $20,500 contribution to a retirement account or program or other purpose of their choice while the city manager would receive a $26,000 contribution. In addition, the city manager will receive a $7,500 increase to his base wages and the city attorney will receive a $20,000 increase to her base wages.
"All other allowances, compensation, benefits, terms and conditions of employment with the City of Beaumont would remain the same," the memo states. "The above changes would be effective October 1, 2023."
The council discussed the potential raises during employee evaluations in executive session during the Sept. 26 meeting, Williams said.
The decision was made based upon the evaluations, discussion of accomplishments and goal setting, Williams said.
"(We've done) so many things for the city," Williams said of the relevant staff members. "(There's) been parks enhancements, you name it. We did a lot of things legal and public safety. With this new budget, we're putting in some things with Fusus systems to monitor our city for safety... We've been a very productive city over the last year."
Williams specifically noted the city's strategic planning and reorganization, work to push through a Texas House bill to allow already-assessed taxes on hotel rooms to help finance a downtown hotel and potential Civic Center changes, breaking ground on the reconstruction of Riverfront Park and working on a new plan to for the revitalization of Downtown Beaumont.
Ward II Council member Mike Getz said the raise amounts and decision to put them up for a vote came from council consensus.
"My thoughts are that at least now we're doing objective evaluations on their performance," Getz said. "It's not just an automatic raise, we're checking their performances."
Williams said that typically, when something is part of a previous executive session, it is put on the consent agenda because council already has had the opportunity to discuss it.
These proposed raises are not the only ones planned for city staff members. The already-passed fiscal year 2024 budget sets forth a 2% cost of living adjustment for all city staff members under the leadership of the city manager. The city also is increasing the starting wage of all full-time city employees to a minimum of $15.
Money also was designated in the budget to begin acting on data from a salary survey conducted by the city and Evergreen Solutions, LLC. over the last six months.
The study has found that 66% of employees are currently in the bottom half of their published pay ranges, according to part of the salary study, which was presented at the council Sept. 26.
"We're looking at a three-year plan to get all of our employees to a minimum of the survey," Williams said. "Some employees this year are getting a raise according to their position and how far they were out of equity or their pay range on the survey... By year three, all the employees will be back to the minimum."
The city will spend $250,000 in the first phase. Williams did not say specifically which other types of employees were being prioritized in the first year of base salary increases.
Getz said the salary study was a factor for council when considering the raises for the four employees,
Williams, who was hired on last September with a salary of $250,000, said that the pay, "particularly the city manager's is actually below average of the Evergreen Study."
The Enterprise also reached out for comment to Mayor Roy West, At-Large Council members A.J. Turner and Randy Feldschau, Ward I Council member Taylor Neild, Ward III Council member Audwin Samuel and Ward IV Council member Chris Durio, all of whom did not immediately respond.