Seven employees of Mobile’s Municipal Garage became the first recipients of Mayor Sandy Stimpson’s new “Pay It Forward” bonus program this week, earning recognition and extra pay for a money-saving project that benefited the city.
The employees, honored during a ceremony at City Hall, were recognized for building a trailer used to transport traffic barricades, a project that saved the city thousands of dollars compared to purchasing the equipment. Each employee received a certificate of service from Stimpson along with an additional $250 added to their next paycheck, for a combined payout of $1,750.
Stimpson said the program is designed to reward employees who find creative, cost-effective solutions to everyday municipal problems. He described the initiative as an extension of his administration’s broader focus on sound financial management and investment in city workers, calling the group’s ingenuity an example for other departments to follow.
The bonus program is funded directly through the mayor’s own salary. As a mayoral candidate, Stimpson pledged to contribute $50,000 annually toward employee bonuses, totaling $200,000 over a four-year term, despite an annual salary of $89,000. Under Alabama law, any individual city employee can receive no more than $1,000 in Pay It Forward awards within a single fiscal year, and awards are only approved when a specific, quantifiable cost savings can be documented.
In this case, the city’s traffic engineering department had requested a new trailer that would have cost roughly $9,000 to purchase. Instead, a team led by employee Larry Harris built the equipment in-house for less than $3,000 in materials and labor, saving the city approximately $6,000. Stimpson praised the quality of the finished trailer and indicated the city may commission additional units built by the same team.
The full group honored included Harris, James Gardner, Jamaal Hawthorn, Lee Bush, Tyrone Holley, Clarence Mack and George Wells, all employees of the Municipal Garage. Stimpson noted that with this first round of awards already reaching $1,750, spending under the Pay It Forward program is likely to exceed his initial $50,000 annual pledge in the coming year as more departments identify similar savings opportunities.
City officials say the program reflects an effort to build a culture of accountability and innovation among municipal workers, while giving employees a direct financial incentive to look for efficiencies in their daily work.