For the second week in a row Union County has has the good fortune to have a dedicated public servant appointed to an important government office.

Over the past 40 years Tommy Sinclair has served the community, the state and the nation in a variety of capacities including private business, education and in the military. His record is that of a man who understands the meaning of citizenship, of making a contribution to society and working to make the world a better place. To that record of service he now adds supervisor of Union County and we’re certain he’ll be just as dedicated in that office as he was in the various positions he has held over the past four decades.

Sinclair will serve as supervisor for a salary of $1 a year. While no one would have begrudged him taking the supervisor’s salary of $65,504.48 a year, Sinclair’s decision to accept a token salary is a good sign of his determination to shun personal gain in favor of serving the public interest. This is especially welcome given the allegations of public corruption and criminality that have haunted county government over the past month.

Another sign of Sinclair’s commitment to serving the public interest is his stated intention to work with Union County Council and the county’s various other governing bodies to address our community’s needs and chart its future. This forward-looking approach is needed as the county grapples with the ongoing economic downturn that has left a fifth of our working age population unemployed.

This willingness to work with others even extends to cooperating with county council in its effort to change the county’s form of government, replacing the elected supervisor with a professional administrator. Sinclair’s willingness to cooperate with council in its efforts to abolish the office he holds is another sign he puts the public good first even if it means he could be out of a job soon.

Gov. Mark Sanford’s decision to appoint Sinclair was a good one as was his decision a week earlier to appoint Freddie Gault as Clerk of Court. That decision, however, was not made in a vacuum but in a spirit of cooperation with the Union County Legislative Delegation which recommended Sinclair and Gault to the governor. It is that spirit of cooperation, demonstrated by Sanford and the delegation, and voiced by Sinclair, that we need more of here in Union County.

Lets all work together with our new supervisor, our new clerk of court and our other public officials to move Union County forward into a better and brighter future.