BEAUMONT, Texas — The City of Beaumont will have a new leader following the mayoral election this May.
Longtime Beaumont Mayor Becky Ames announced that she will not be seeking an eighth term Wednesday morning during a news conference in Beaumont City Council chambers.
Ames has led the city as mayor since May 2007 according to the bio on the City of Beaumont website.
She has been a lifelong resident of the city and served as an at-large council member for the city from 1994 through 2007 when she became mayor.
Ames said Wednesday she is the longest-serving mayor in Beaumont's history, and will have served 14 years in the office.
"The support for another campaign in 2021 has been extremely strong," Ames said. "However, I have made the bittersweet decision and am announcing today that I will not seek reelection to another term as your mayor in the upcoming election."
Ames said she will complete her current term before stepping away to "focus my time and energy on a great position that I accepted in March of this past year with GMJ Inc."
She will also "be dedicating some time to the Emergency Evacuation Task Force that I was recently appointed to by Gov. Greg Abbott."
Currently three Beaumont residents have announced intention to run for mayor this year.
Beaumont businessman Roy West, Jr. announced his plans to run for mayor on July 15, 2020.
Beaumont business W.L. Pate, who has served on the Beaumont City Council for 13 years announced his intentions to run the next day.
In December 2020 Beaumont businesswoman Biguita Hernandez-Smith announced her plans to run for mayor.
