People retire from their jobs all the time. That’s not news. But we were pleasantly surprised to learn that one upcoming retiree has served Southampton County for so long and so well.

David K. Britt recently announced to the Board of Supervisors he’s stepping down at month’s end after 26 years and seven months. You can add another four years when he was deputy treasurer beforehand.

The supervisors, on receiving Britt’s formal announcement, wished him well and praised his work as honorable. Quite right.

That’s the kind of commitment that best exemplifies the service that people in Western Tidewater are willing to perform, which in turn makes for a better and smoother-operating government.