Alabaster, Helena and Pelham were recently recognized as some of the state’s best places to do business by the Alabama Policy Institute and the Yellowhammerpolitics.com blog.

The three Shelby County cities scored well in several business-related criteria, such as economic vitality, business tax burden, community allure and transportation infrastructure.

Each of those three cities has been routinely honored by other organizations, such as the “Top 100 Places to Live” list put out by Money magazine. It’s not a surprise to see Alabaster, Helena and Pelham finding places on yet another list of the best places to live, play and work.

Each of those cities, like Shelby County as a whole, has grown exponentially over the past decade, and each boats a well-educated workforce, great schools and low crime rates, among other traits that recommend them to families and businesses alike.

Most of the county’s municipalities are focused on welcoming businesses to their borders and are determined to make it as easy as possible for businesses to bring jobs and revenue. That’s an attitude that is essential for continued, healthy growth, and we’re glad to see it’s an attitude that permeates Shelby County.

While our cities do compete for businesses sometimes, all of our elected officials know that Shelby County benefits as a whole when its individual cities grow economically. This fosters a sense of support and well-being throughout the county — important when trying to attract industry and business, and essential to building better schools, better parks and better places to live.

Shelby County’s explosive recent growth is an example of what can happen when county leaders are committed to building a pro-business climate. We hope this dedication will continue, and the next time we see a list of the state’s best places to do business, we hope to see more county cities take their spots along with Helena, Alabaster and Pelham.

The We Say is the opinion of the Shelby County Reporter editorial board.