Gibsonville’s board of aldermen approved a round of one-time bonuses for town staff this week after the idea was proposed by a newly sworn-in alderman.
First suggested by Paul Thompson as a “show of good will’ to the staff, the item was apparently added to Monday night’s agenda under mayor Lenny Williams’ direction. Following the board’s unanimous approval, the town’s full-time employees are to receive a $1,000 bonus, while part-time staff will receive $500, making for a total expenditure of $71,500.
“I think these employees really deserve something to show the town’s appreciation for their loyalty during the pandemic,” Thompson said, noting that nearly all of the $2.15 million that the town received under the American Rescue Plan Act had been earmarked for extending the town’s water and sewer service down Highway 61. The funds used for the bonuses, town manager Ben Baxley clarified, would come from the town’s general budget.
For his part, the mayor put his full support behind the idea, recommending that the board approve the bonuses.
“I’ve heard from some employees that have done a great job, and we ought to recognize them,” the mayor concluded before requesting a motion, which came from Yvonne Maizland. Following a second from new alderman Bryant Crisp, the bonuses were unanimously approved.
Town will hold classification and pay study for its employees
The board’s decision on bonuses immediately followed its giving the green light for a classification and pay study for town staff at a cost of $7,500. Conducted by the Piedmont Triad Regional Council, a study, which was last held in 2015 and is recommended for every three to five years, will look at 43 classifications ranging from police chief and town manager to library assistant and custodian.
Following Thompson’s inquiry into whether the town’s aldermen, who receive a monthly stipend, are included in the study, town manager Ben Baxley explained that a second, separate study would be needed for board members’ salaries. That item, the mayor alluded, is set to come before the board for discussion in January.
