Add ours to the chorus of voices thanking Tom Taylor for his decades of service to the city and its residents.

The former Ward 3 alderman, now the city’s first “alderman emeritus,” was honored last week in an emotional ceremony during the opening portion of the Board of Aldermen’s meeting. While he holds the title of the city’s longest-serving ward aldermen, it was the quality of his service –and his character- that was truly the reason for the citations and certificates of appreciations given to him.

Anyone in attendance last week, or anyone who has watched the meeting since then, was witness to the softer side of Somerville – said with all sincerity – that was as touching as it was uncommon.

There is no doubt that the praise and words of thanks offered to those presented by the BOA with citations – a regular portion of many meetings – are sincere. What was displayed by the aldermen and mayor last week, however, was something so personal that it felt almost like eavesdropping on a private gathering.

That a public official elicited such personal responses, that so many of his friends and family and, most of all, former constituents, came out and filled the room, says it all. And while we all know the sound of polite and obligatory applause, the thunderous and long-last clapping that concluded the nearly 40-minute event – and that is really the word for it – was clearly anything but forced.

If Taylor’s length of service is history making, so, too, was the well-deserved response to making sure he knew just how appreciated he is.