After the Alpena Township Board of Trustees fired building official Kirk Malcomson, Malcomson approached the board and shook hands with his now-former boss, township Supervisor Nathan Skibbe.

In addition to that employer-employee relationship, Malcomson and Skibbe are also political foes, as Malcomson is running as a write-in candidate in Tuesday’s election, hoping to unseat Skibbe.

That is why that handshake is so important.

The two men have traded barbs for weeks, now. Malcomson was fired after the board reviewed a packet of correspondence and complaints from businesses and residents about Malcomson’s behavior on the job. Back in September, Malcomson accused Skibbe and other township leaders of bullying behavior.

And, of course, each thinks he can do a better job than the other as chief executive of the township.

In today’s hyper-partisan, exceptionally personal political climate, the two could have given each other the cold shoulder and publicly bashed each other and only made things worse.

Instead, they acted like adults, kept the issue about the issues, and shook hands.

Skibbe and Malcomson have set a fine example for their fellow township residents and all of Northeast Michigan, an example many politicians on the statewide and national stages could learn from.

Thanks to both of them, and here’s hoping that, whoever wins next week, the handshakes continue.

(THE ALPENA NEWS)