Employees and residents in one Shelby County community work and live in one of the safest municipalities in the state, according to the Alabama League of Municipalities.

The League of Municipalities presented Westover officials with its Gold Risk Management Award during its 2010 convention May 17 in Mobile.

While considering municipalities for the risk management awards, the League of Municipalities studied the insurance loss ratio for each of the more than 760 municipalities enrolled in the League-sponsored Municipal Workers Compensation Fund or the Alabama Municipal Insurance Corporation.

The Gold Risk Management Award represented the lowest level of insurance loss so far this year, and indicated Westover had a less than 5 percent loss ratio.

The League of Municipalities also presented Westover with its President’s Risk Management Award, which was given to the top 5 percent of League members with the lowest insurance loss ratio from 2003-2007.

“It’s an honor for the city to be able to get that award,” said Westover Mayor Mark McLaughlin. “This means we had less than 5 percent total loss for the year. We are really excited about it.

“You are always going to have those things that happen from time to time, but we have been able to keep them to a minimum,” McLaughlin said. “You just try to build on that number and keep that rate going.”

The low insurance loss numbers means Westover filed relatively few insurance or worker’s compensation claims, and thus had fewer accidents or lost-time work incidents among its employees.

“Risk management and loss control activities not only benefit the member’s loss ratio, but also the overall success of the League-sponsored insurance programs,” read a League press release.

“Through the efforts of the (town) of Westover, employee, property and liability losses are being minimized, and most importantly, employees and citizens are reaping the rewards of a safer workplace and community,” the release read.