The joint meeting on Thursday of the Bertie County Board of Commissioners and the Bertie County Board of Education was a step long overdue.

Sitting in the same room, the two boards were able to focus on the project that has been in the forefront of discussion for nearly a decade – the building of a new Bertie High School.

With everyone sitting in the same room, they were able to discuss the project, look at some of the options and try to move forward in a unified manner. This is exactly what the taxpaying citizens of Bertie County should hope for.

There is much more to do. It will not be an easy task. Any time the commissioners are asked to commit to spend $20 million or more, they have to take into consideration everything it will affect. The Bertie County Commissioners certainly will have to do that in this case.

It is the job of the Bertie County Board of Education to seek the best for the students they are charged with. They should work hard to provide them with the best education, the best teachers and the best administrative leaders. They should also strive to put them in buildings that are safe.

With the two boards working together, each can achieve the purpose for which they were elected. They have to move forward together and each board seems more than willing to do that.

The meeting held Thursday was a first step, not a culmination. We hope the two boards continue to work together in unison as they move forward to provide a new high school and do so without overburdening the tax payers.

Congratulations Bertie County leaders on a good first step.