0:00 → 2:44(2m 45s)
✔️ FY 2026 Budget and Master Fee Schedule: • Adopted the FY 2026 Budget and Master Fee Schedule with a unanimous vote. • City’s General Fund balance will be raised to $41.7M with a reserve of (25.7%) $9,225,373 above the 20% reserve requirement. The City’s property and water rates will remain unchanged and senior citizens rates will be frozen to ease cost of living for them. Significant investments will be made in public safety including a new fire truck, public works equipment, City vehicles, and IT investments to protect against ransomware and cybersecurity threats. Budget includes negotiated raises for Fire and Police as well as cost of living increases for City employees. • Council and City staff worked together after the initial budget proposal was presented on August 19, 2025, to reduce an additional $3.1M in spending and increase the General Reserve fund based on feedback that Council received from citizens. • City received an “Unmodified Audit Opinion” in the most recent audit, this is the best audit outcome a city can receive. • Complete budget will be available for review at: beaumonttexas.gov/budget ✔️ FY 2026 Capital Program: • Adopted the FY 2026 Capital Program with a unanimous vote. • The CIP is the City’s long-term planning document that identifies major infrastructure and facility projects. • Complete CIP is available for review at: beaumonttexas.gov/CIP ✔️ FY 2026 Property Tax Rate: • Accepted the appraised roll, approved the property tax rate for the year 2025 (FY 2026), and ratified the budgeted property tax increase reflected in the FY 2026 Budget with a unanimous vote. • City will maintain a flat City property tax rate of: $0.659663/$100. • This marks the 5th consecutive year that the City has not raised property tax rates for its citizens. ✔️ FSA / COBRA Administration • Approved entering an agreement with HSA Bank to administer Flexible Spending Account (FSA) and COBRA programs for City employees. At least 230 City employees leverage the FSA program and HSA Bank offered the most cost-effective proposal. ✔️ Pharmacy Benefit Manger (PBM) Services: • Rescinded a resolution from July to enter a contract with Blue Cross Blue Shield. Decision avoids early termination penalty of $500K on agreement with current vendor. 🧭 Economic Development and Downtown Revitalization ✔️ Homelessness Work Session: • Council reviewed and discussed Homelessness in the City of Beaumont since the adoption of the No-Camping ordinance in August 2024. • In the first year of enforcement, a Task Force was created and procedures established for enforcement of the ordinance. Multiple City and local agencies including Code Enforcement, Parks, Libraries, TXDOT, DD6, Solid Waste, and Beaumont Police have partnered to enforce the ordinance, and Planning & Community has installed additional cameras connected to the Real-Time Crime Center. • Action has been taken to tow abandoned RVs, increase debris pickup, and regularly clean streets and sidewalks in affected areas. 54 locations with private property violations have been identified, 13 have been declared public nuisances, 8 have been abated by the property owner, and others are being pursued legally. City staff have assisted 30 owners in obtaining Trespass Affidavits, and there are ongoing park sweeps. • Challenges to enforcement include non-cooperative property owners resulting in lengthy court processes, limited penalties available, and lack of available locations for displaced homeless individuals resulting in movement from place to place. Additionally, there is anecdotal evidence of displaced individuals from other local communities migrating to Beaumont. • Council expressed the need for immediate action to support businesses and homeowners that are adversely affected by homeless camps, concern about the locations of organizations offering services to the homeless population (while acknowledging the positive services provided by these organizations), and a desire to explore alternative locations for homeless individuals to congregate. Council and staff discussed challenges with funding and staffing ongoing programs and potential liability issues associated with City maintenance of any homeless encampment. • As next steps, staff will conduct a cost analysis for the current enforcement efforts and review citation history related to enforcement actions. City staff will explore a direct “hotline” for homeowners and businesses affected by property and other damages caused by the homeless, report back on planned meetings with community organizations supporting the homeless including discussions about alternative locations for encampments, and review the success of homeless relocation projects from other cities. 🎥 Click here to watch the full meeting: beaumonttexas.gov/latest-council
