BEAUMONT, Texas — The Beaumont community could have a new leader as three men battle for the spot as city manager.
There were more than 50 applicants for the Beaumont city manager position. That number was narrowed down to 16 and presented to the Beaumont City Council.
Council members used a number of factors and criteria to rank the applicants, and the number of candidates was narrowed down from 16 to three.
The top three applicants were Christopher S. Boone, Lionel D. Lyons, and Kenneth R. Williams. Each will be brought in for in-person interviews starting Wednesday.
Council members will also discuss the appointment timeline, duties, and roles of the city manager in addition to the interviews.
Boone is the current interim city manager and director of the Planning and Community Development Department for the City of Beaumont. He is also the chief administrative officer for the city and is responsible for managing all activities and operation for the city.
Boone became a Beaumont resident in 2006. Before that, he served as the public works director for the City of West Orange for four years and as the deputy director of land use administration for the City of Mobile, Alabama for six years
Boone has a master’s degree in Urban Planning New York University and a bachelor’s degree in History from the University of Alabama.
Lyons is a North Carolina native, who has more than 35 years of municipal government experience.
Lyons recently served as deputy city manager for development and operation with the City of Petersburg, Virginia. He played an instrumental part in restoring Petersburg’s financial health and bond ratings.
Before working Petersburg, Lyons worked with the City of Phoenix, Arizona for 29 years.
In March 2011, Lyons was awarded the “City Manager’s Excellence Award” for serving as the facilitator for the 2010 City of Phoenix Community Engagement and Outreach Task Force. In April 2012, on behalf of the City of Phoenix, Mr. Lyons received the Cultural Diversity Award from the National League of Cities.
In the early stages of his career, Mr. Lyons served as the management assistant to the City Manager for five years before being promoted to management assistant to the mayor.
More on: Read Lionel Lyons' full resume' here
Williams is the “semi-retired” city manager for the City of Buda, Texas. He has served in city management for 18 years.
Kenneth is an International City Managers Association Executive Board -Credentialed manager and served as president of the Texas City Management Association in 2019 and 2020.
Kenneth’s philosophy of city management is to, "provide professional acumen, practical skills and a servant’s heart in providing support and leadership with city council, staff, and the community in shaping the best cities to live in the country."
Williams worked as an emergency management coordinator in Lufkin for nine years and worked through several hurricanes and the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster
