It’s not easy to serve as chairman of any board, let alone lead a group of county commissioners.

The job is time-consuming and it is fulltime, even if you have another occupation.

When there is any function in the county, they call on the chairman of the board to be the one that says hello. He or she cuts the ribbons, shakes the hands and makes the opening remarks.

For the past three years, Norman M. Cherry Sr. has been the person responsible for all of those things in Bertie County and he has handled his duties admirably. He has worked diligently with other board members and the public to be a good public servant.

In meetings, Cherry was always cognizant of his responsibility to the citizens. He allowed them – during their proper turn – to speak to issues and to have input as the commissioners deliberated.

He was also very staunch in his support for the county staff and their work. He made sure they were never openly attacked in public meetings and did his best to make sure they were thanked for their hard work.

In all, Norman Cherry conducted the meetings in Bertie County with class, decorum and concern for all who attended.

Monday morning, Cherry stepped aside as Chairman of the board, choosing to nominate Vice Chair L.C. Hoggard III to step into that post. Hoggard will continue the tradition of strong and capable chairmen – following in the footsteps of Cherry, Rick Harrell and the late J. Jasper Bazemore.

As we look back on Cherry’s term as chairman, we are thankful for his work, his devotion to the people of the county and his ability to always maintain the integrity of the meetings.

The Roanoke-Chowan News-Herald