I offer congratulations to Farmville District representative Sherry Honeycutt on being elected chairman of the Prince Edward County School Board. Honeycutt has the experience and knowledge to lead the board to new heights, which I sincerely hope she’ll do.

More so, I offer my admiration to Leigh District representative Dr. Timothy W. Corbett Sr., the board’s former vice chairman, who sought the position of chairman alongside Honeycutt.

When it came time to choose, the board deadlocked 3-3, with Buffalo District representative Dr. Wilkie Chaffin — who should have voted — abstaining. Lockett District representative Dr. Chapman Hood Frazier was absent.

Instead of defaulting to a dreaded coin toss or delaying action during the meeting — the first for newly appointed Division Superintendent Dr. Barbara Johnson — Corbett conceded, avoiding from setting the tone of a divided board.

“My concern is the cohesiveness of the board at this time,” Corbett said during the annual reorganizational meeting. “I want to make sure we, as a board, improve cohesiveness.”

Corbett set the example during the meeting, removing himself from the running and allowing the board to proceed with business instead of holding up progress.

Corbett said he yielded to Honeycutt so the board would not be divided.

“I am honored to be given the opportunity to be chair of the Prince Edward County School Board for this year and very much appreciate the gentlemanly and cooperative gesture exhibited by my fellow board member, Dr. Tim Corbett,” Honeycutt said during the meeting.

It’s excellent that Honeycutt acknowledged Corbett’s move, and I certainly hope the remainder of the board does as well.

JORDAN MILES is managing editor of The Farmville Herald. His email address is jordan.miles@ farmvilleherald.com.