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Mobile City Council members honored retiring three-term Mayor Sandy Stimpson during his final public meeting Tuesday by officially recognizing “Born to Celebrate” as the city’s official slogan, and the city’s iconic “M” design as its logo. Both the logo and slogan were created during Stimpson’s first term, approximately 10 years ago. The council voted unanimously to approve both, codifying in the city’s record two images crafted during an era praised at Government Plaza for moving the city forward in growth and financial management. Stimpson praised both recognitions following an emotional meeting that included comments of praise from two former Congressmen – Bradley Byrne, the president & CEO with the Mobile Chamber and Jo Bonner, the president at the University of South Alabama – and comments from council members. “While I was mayor, the city council came up with ‘Born to Celebrate,’ and I love to say that,” Stimpson said after the meeting. “It’s not just about Mardi Gras. We celebrate Airbus, Austal, and the University of South Alabama College of Medicine. It’s a great message to the world to say we come together and support those kinds of things. From my perspective, that helps the image of who we are.” Iconic “M” The iconic “M” logo, which is adorned on city vehicles, buildings and office materials, was created approximately 10 years by former Chief of Staff Colby Cooper and Stacy Wellborn, a local marketing entrepreneur and educator. The council’s vote makes the “M” the city’s first-ever official logo. It does not replace the city seal, which was altered in 2015 to remove the Confederate flag and the flags of six nations that had, at one point, governed the city. The only flag that remains on the modern-day seal is the American flag. “I think the color scheme is great,” Stimpson said of the “M” logo. “I think it will hold. There is a future mayor somewhere down the road who probably thinks it needs to be changed. But for the short time, it will be the iconic M.” Born to Celebrate Visit Mobile – the convention and tourism arm of the city – has been utilizing “Born to Celebrate” for years in its advertising, connecting the city’s famed Mardi Gras heritage to its overall culture as a way to increase visitors. David Clark, president & CEO with Visit Mobile, said the council’s actions represented “brand cohesiveness” which he called a “smart” move in promoting the city. “When you are born to celebrate, everything we do to attract visitors here is to celebrate what the city has to offer,” Clark said. “We have our six brand pillars that include history, the arts, the culture, the culinary, the ecotourism and Mardi Gras. Everything in Mobile wraps around that and is inclusive of that.” Clark added, “It’s good branding when your brand lasts a long time and it continues and will only get stronger with cohesion.” Final actions The two council actions came during a meeting in which Stimpson recognized his longtime administrative assistant Karen Williamson as the city’s “Employee of the Month.” He also recognized retiring Councilman Joel Daves with an exceptional citizenship honor. During his final comments at a council meeting, Stimpson said that council members should “take pride” in the projects that have occurred over the years largely thanks to a Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) that has enabled for increased investments into roads, sidewalks, ditches, and other infrastructure. He also thanked the city’s employees, calling them among the “very best in the nation” for showing up and addressing public needs. He recognized national accreditations for a host of city agencies that include police, fire-rescue, parks and recreation, public works and finance. “There are just as many superstars in the public sector as there is in the private sector,” Stimpson said. “Giving you the opportunity to shine is certainly something we take great pride in.” Reflections Council members also reflected on the past 12 years, both the good and the sometimes bumpy moments. Council President C.J. Small said that Stimpson’s early years were “rocky,” and Councilwoman Gina Gregory said there were some questionable moments and mentioned the removal of a large tree that was used as a background prop during President Donald Trump’s 2016 rally in Mobile. But overall, the council members praised the mayor for his leadership. “The last six years, everything has been smooth sailing,” Small said, adding that Stimpson “has a heart for the City of Mobile and a heart that you were able to reach many people with.” Small also asked why Stimpson was retiring and not reconsidering a fourth term with projects still underway like Brookley by the Bay – a large waterfront park south of downtown Mobile; the new Mobile International Airport set to open next year; and the new Mobile Civic Center Arena currently under construction and slated to open by January 2027. Stimpson announced last September he was not running for mayor this year. Former Mobile County District Judge Spiro Cheriogotis, who received Stimpson’s endorsement during the mayoral campaign, won the election and will be sworn in during a ceremony on Monday. Gregory said Stimpson was a mayor who was “unafraid to take on a challenge, stick with it and make it happen.” Gregory, who is the longest-serving elected official in the city, urged Cheriogotis and the incoming city administration to not get complacent. “We are in a good place,” she said.
