Recently, the planning commissions of both Isle of Wight County and the Town of Windsor sat together to discuss some issues affecting one another. Specifically, the members looked at the water and sewer needs for residential and commercial development, as well as traffic along the Route 460 corridor. There’s also the matter of how trains regularly affect travel and even emergency services. Everyone who has ever experienced the town’s six-way intersection at rush hour has thought, “There’s got to be a better way.”

Because that meeting was a work session, no one was really expected to come up with answers then and there. This was really a venue for both parties to learn more from county staff before making informed decisions.

Nevertheless, what impresses us is the related boards were willing and able to come together and share questions and concerns about their future. Ultimately, we hope, they’ll come up with solutions to benefit everyone involved.

We recommend Isle of Wight County make this a regular practice of working along with its townships and villages in all departments and issues. The same goes for the City of Franklin and Southampton County.

Newcomers might be unaware that Franklin was once a town within Southampton before growing large enough 51 years ago to become a separate entity.

We think Franklin and Southampton still have more in common than perhaps some people on either side would care to acknowledge. Foremost, there’s plenty of connection between the two through people who work in one area, and live in another. Businesses, roads and trains are other ties that unite.

As we see it, not only would money be saved all around if services could be combined, effectiveness could be increased as well.

Everyone benefits when they work together.