SNOW HILL – Elected officials and county staff expressed their appreciation for Worcester County Commissioner Merrill Lockfaw as he attended his final meeting as a member of the board this week.
Commissioners and the county’s department directors thanked Lockfaw for eight years of service as a commissioner at Tuesday’s meeting, Lockfaw’s last as a member of the board. He’ll be replaced next month by Josh Nordstrom, the Democrat voters selected to represent District 1 in this month’s election.
“We’re going to miss you pal,” Commissioner Bud Church said. “You’ve been a good friend, a great county commissioner. You’ve served your district well.”
At the invitation of Commissioner Diana Purnell, president of the board, those on the dais offered their thanks to Lockfaw at the close of Tuesday’s meeting. Purnell said she’d appreciated Lockfaw’s wisdom and “calm and cool” manner during the four years she’d served with him. She encouraged him to take advantage of his RV and travel.
“Enjoy yourself,” she said.
Commissioner Ted Elder said that Lockfaw, who spent nearly 20 years as the county’s roads superintendent before retiring and running for the District 1 commissioner seat, had provided his peers with valuable knowledge regarding county roads and maintenance.
“You’ve educated me in a lot of things,” Elder said. “I really appreciate that. More than that I appreciate the camaraderie and the friendship. It’s been a pleasure working with you.”
Commissioner Joe Mitrecic said Lockfaw had often been the voice of common sense. He also thanked Lockfaw for easing his transition onto the board.
Commissioner Jim Bunting, who has served with Lockfaw for the past eight years, said he would miss him.
“You’ve been a good representative of the southern end of the county,” he said.
Commissioner Chip Bertino agreed and praised Lockfaw’s efforts to help Pocomoke, particularly in helping launch an after-school program at Pocomoke Middle School.
“There are a number of things in Pocomoke, in the southern end of the county, that are there because of you,” he said.
Several of the county’s department directors, the majority of whom worked with Lockfaw when he was the county’s roads superintendent, also wished him well.
“We’re going to miss you and I appreciate the time I had to work with you both as a county employee and a county commissioner,” said Ed Tudor, the county’s director of development review and permitting.
Director of Public Works John Tustin agreed. He praised Lockfaw’s work as roads superintendent and recalled how he’d visited when Tustin had been in the hospital.
“It’s been a pleasure,” Tustin said.
After comments from a variety of other department directors, Lockfaw thanked those who’d spoken for their kind words.
“It’s been a true privilege to work with each and every one of you…,” he said. “It’s with great pride that I’ve served. Worcester County’s been good to me. I hope I’ve been able to give something back to the county.”
