Beaumont city councilors voted to offer the city attorney, city clerk and city magistrate $20,500 checks for the “purpose of (their) choice,” along with a pay raise and administrative allowance.
Despite councilors previously discussing some city employees’ wages being so low that they require food stamps, Beaumont officials offered raises and checks to some of the highest earners on the municipal wage bill on Oct. 25.
Officials voted Tuesday on whether to offer $20,500 from the general fund to three city employees, with the first item reading, “The City of Beaumont would provide compensation in the amount of $20,500 to the City Attorney for contribution to a retirement account or program or other purpose of her choice.”
The awards for the city’s magistrate and clerk read similarly, offering the duo $20,500 for “the purpose of (their) choice.”
In addition to the contributions given from the courtesy of city taxpayers, the trio could receive a 3% increase in base wages, along with “administrative” allowances of $125 a month.
The city clerk’s pay raise doesn’t stop there, according to the agenda. The agenda item described a $5,000 increase in the base salary for the city clerk, along with the 3% base increase.
Beaumont’s chief magistrate is Craig Lively, its city clerk is Tina Broussard and its attorney is Sharae Reed.