Mayor's Message

Mayor Becky Ames
One of the first things I did after becoming mayor in May of 2007
was work with the City Council to reinstitute the Keep Beaumont
Beautiful Commission. Since that time, the Commission has
established a number of partnerships, promoted beautification
through a variety of projects, and worked with the city to develop
and implement the citywide
Beautification Plan.
Since then, several local and state groups have joined the
commission in its efforts to improve our city, including the Chamber
of Commerce’s Beautification Committee, the McFaddin-Ward House,
Beautify Beaumont, Inc., the Magnolia Garden Club, the Southeast
Texas Regional Planning Commission, and many others, all with the
same goal in mind: Beautifying Beaumont!
As a result of the vision and work of the Commission and all of
these organizations, results are apparent around our great city.
Planting projects, neighborhood clean-ups, a new
311 system for code
violation reporting, and anti-litter campaigns all are helping to
make Beaumont a better place to live.
We hope this Web site will be a great resource for anyone who wants
to help us reach that goal, with information on our progress and
tools and information to help you stay involved. Please check back regularly to find out
how you can help Keep Beaumont Beautiful!
The Mc-Faddin Ward House conducts the Green Summit 2009. Visit
Summit wrap-up info:
www.mcfaddin-ward.org
Green Summit 2010 Report
Recycling Survey Results
The city of Beaumont and the city’s ad hoc recycling committee
Wednesday released the results of a citywide survey on recycling
conducted in February. Nearly 13 percent, or 4,224 of the 33,209
households surveyed returned the brief questionnaire, which went out
in water bills during February. Of those surveyed, more than 50
percent indicated they are interested in recycling, with slightly
more than 49 percent indicating they are “very interested.” Based on
the results, the committee has chosen to explore private-sector
partnerships to determine the feasibility of an optional,
subscription-based program. Click here for complete survey results.
City Buses Running Clean on Compressed Natural Gas
The City of Beaumont has committed to a cleaner environment with the
purchase of 15 city buses that run on compressed natural gas.
Purchase of the buses was funded entirely through an air quality
grant from the Federal Transit Administration. In addition to
getting the buses at no cost, the city expects to save approximately
money each year in fuel costs, due to the low cost of CNG, and
federally funded 50 cents per-gallon rebate on the clean-burning
fuel. The buses will reduce noise as well as air pollution, since
CNG buses run quieter than conventional diesel buses, click here.
City Helps Low-Income Households Save on Energy Costs
Did you know that low-income households spend, on average, 17
percent of their annual income on energy, compared to only 4 percent
for other households? Did you know that weatherization measures can
reduce energy costs by as much as $500 a year? The City of Beaumont
is accepting applications for its Weatherization Assistance Program.
Eligible households can receive up to $6,500 in weatherization
assistance. The program is funded entirely through the American
Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Households receiving assistance must
be located in Beaumont and must be income-eligible. Applications are
available at the following locations: City Hall, 800 Main Street,
Community Development office, Suite 201; all city library branches;
www.cityofbeaumont.com.
Watch out for Wildflowers
The City of Beaumont has teamed up with TxDOT, Jefferson County, a
private landowner, and local business and civic partners to plant 25
acres of wildflowers along I-10 in various locations. The ground has
been prepared and the seeds will be planted this month, with blooms
expected in early spring and continuing throughout the early summer.
The City expects the wildflowers to become a permanent fixture along
I -10 within the city limits.
Code Enforcement Targets Illegal Dumping
In an effort to curb illegal dumping, the Code Enforcement Division
of the city's Health Department is adding evening patrols. The
department's seven officers will issue citations to anyone caught
dumping trash illegally. Fines range from $50 to $1000. Citizens
have a number of options if they have large items to dispose of.
Bulk trash is collected twice monthly, curbside, at no charge. The
landfill is available to all citizens at no charge with proof of
residency in the form of a water bill. For more information on the
city's waste management program, including a schedule of curbside
bulk trash pickup by ZIP code, click here. To report violators, call
311.
