The Town of Webb received the New York Municipal Insurance Reciprocal (NYMIR) Risk Management Award on Monday at the 2014 Annual Meeting and Training School of the New York State Association of Towns.
The award is given annually in recognition of a member municipality’s commitment to sound risk management, safety and training efforts.
The event was held at the New York Hilton in New York City, and Town of Webb Supervisor Ted Riehle was on hand to receive the award.
The presentation was made by the association’s Executive Director Gerry Geist and NYMIR’s Executive Director Kevin Crawford.
“The fact is that the Town of Webb has stood out among the 780 counties, cities, towns and villages who now participate as members and owners in the NYMIR insurance reciprocal,” Crawford said.
“They have a group of officials and employees who are dedicated to safety and take risk management into account and are proud to do so. Likewise, NYMIR is proud to recognize their efforts today.”
Crawford added that effective risk management requires a team approach, everyone working together to reduce the liability and exposures which are inherent in so many local government operations.
“In the case of Webb, these include not only the traditional municipal services surrounding highways and public safety, but an extensive network of groomed snowmobile trails, a ski area and ice [rink],” he said.
“Webb is being recognized today not only for an outstanding claims experience, but more because they have demonstrated again and again that risk management and safety is an important value which they integrate into the day-to-day operations of all their departments,” Crawford said.
The inscription on the glass crystal award reads: “In recognition of a commitment to sound risk management, safety and training that makes a difference.”
Supervisor Riehle said he is honored on behalf of the Town of Webb for the award recognition.
“We’re unique in that we have a lot of different exposures—ski hill and snowmobiling and a lot of the different things we do here that most municipalities don’t,” he said.
“I think the town overall, over time, has always been proactive on liability issues. Our department heads come forward, so we work together to make sure that the town is adequately covered on a lot of different issues,” Riehle said.