City Manager's Office

Kenneth R. Williams was appointed the Beaumont City Manager on September 6, 2022. Williams brings over 15 years of experience as a City Manager in Texas, most recently in the city of Buda. Under his direction, they experienced over 200% population growth, great financial stability with the passage of two voter-approved bond packages, and developed an excellent quality of life, achieving the status of the 35th Best City to Live in America by 24/7 Wall Street and was named one of the 50 safest cities in Texas, all while maintaining one of the lowest tax rates in the country.

He has held positions all across all areas of government from Emergency Coordinator to Public Works Director and Community Development Director, which provides a deep-seated understanding of the needs of municipalities. Highly respected amongst his peers, he was also elected President of the Texas City Management Association and has served on the Board of the International City/County Management Association, along with an impressive resume of accolades and service awards. As the former Assistant City Manager of Lufkin where his family resides, he has a vested interest in Southeast Texas and is glad to be back in the area.

Assistant City Manager, Community Services
City of Beaumont, Texas
November 2022 to Present

Chris came to the City of Beaumont after serving as the Public Works Director for the City of West Orange, Texas for four years and as the Deputy Director of Land Use Administration for the City of Mobile, AL for six years. Since 2006, he served as the Director of Planning and Community Development for the City of Beaumont and in April 2022, was named Interim City Manager. His vision for Beaumont is strong, effective economic growth, and he plans to further this mission as Assistant City Manager.

Chris has a master's degree in Urban Planning from New York University and a bachelor's degree in History from the University of Alabama.

Chris is married to Rebecca Boone, a Professor of History at Lamar University, and has two children, Lucy and Helen.

Our staff is really passionate about delivering high-level service to citizens and improving quality of life, and that's what makes it fun. City government is the closest level of government to citizens, and it's awesome to see those interactions on a daily basis. - Chris Boone

Assistant City Manager, Operations
City of Beaumont, Texas
December 2022 to Present

Mr. Ellis brings over 27 years of municipal experience working in local governments such as Detroit, MI, Pearland, TX, Sugar Land, TX, Missouri City, TX, Buda, TX, and most recently, as City Administrator of Haskell, TX. His strong background in budgeting and financial planning will assist the city in continuing to be excellent stewards of every taxpayer dollar. He also looks forward to championing economic development initiatives and community collaborations.

Mr. Ellis has a master’s degree in Political Science, and throughout his municipal career he has attained his certification as a Certified Government Finance Officer (CGFO) from the Government Finance Officers Association of Texas (GFOAT), a certification as a Certified Public Manager (CPM) from Texas State University's William P. Hobby Center for Public Service, a nationally accredited public manager certification program, and a certification in economic development from the University of Oklahoma’s Economic Development Institute (OU EDI).

He is a native Texan who has strong ties to the southern and eastern regions of Texas. Having been born in Houston County, he has been able to watch Texas grow and flourish and is excited to make Beaumont a great place for residents to live, work, and play.

Citizens can come to city hall, a city department, a City Council meeting, or they can call the city with any concerns or issues that they have, and at the city level we always do our best to address those issues that impact the lives of the citizens. This is what I like most about working in local government - being able to improve the quality of life for citizens and businesses within the city. - June Ellis