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Beaumont Fire board and city present plan for 30‑year funding; city proposes vacancy funding, 2% pension increase in budget
Summary
Beaumont Fireman's Relief presented progress toward a 30‑year funding plan; the city attorney said the draft budget will include funding for vacant firefighter positions and a proposed 2% pension increase to be presented to city council in mid‑September.
Beaumont Fireman's Relief and Retirement Fund representatives told the PRB that they and the City of Beaumont are negotiating funding steps that could bring the plan into a 30‑year funding period.
Luke Skelton, chair of the Beaumont Fireman's Relief Retirement Fund, said the fund met with city officials June 12 and received a city proposal on which the system's actuary provided a quick, preliminary review. Skelton said his actuary advised that modest modifications — chiefly changing how one‑time sums are injected versus regular payroll contributions — could produce an outcome consistent with a 30‑year funding period.
Troy Reed, Beaumont city attorney, confirmed the city is preparing budget language to fund vacant grade‑1 firefighter positions (currently about 25 vacancies) and proposes a 2% increase to the city contribution rate. Reed said the city will present a draft budget in early August and the council is scheduled to vote on the budget Sept. 16; the city manager will also be prepared to make any one‑time contributions needed to implement the plan.
Skelton said the pension board’s acceptance of a joint, signed agreement depends on the actuary’s final written confirmation and on aligning timing with the fire contract negotiations. Both sides described negotiations as constructive and said correspondence and actuarial materials have been forwarded to PRB staff for review.
Why it matters: Beaumont remains on PRB lists of systems with low funded ratios. The proposed combination of ongoing contribution increases and targeted one‑time contributions is the sort of sponsor action PRB looks for when plans must meet FSRP expectations or avoid statutory triggers.
PRB staff thanked both the fund and the city for sharing materials with PRB actuaries, and the board encouraged the parties to finalize written, actuarially-aligned proposals before any council vote.
