The news that a Lumberton businessman has been named chairman of the board for a nonprofit that oversees the distribution of hundreds of millions of dollars to local governments whose economies are stressed because of the decline of tobacco can only be positive for Robeson County.

In fact, at about the same time it was announced that Murchison “Bo” Biggs would lead the 15-member board for the Golden LEAF Foundation it was learned that the town of Pembroke had received two grants totaling $630,750. The grants will be used to reimburse the Pembroke Rescue Squad for expenses associated with a recent relocation and a stormwater infrastructure project.

That money is the most recent the Golden LEAF Foundation has sent our way, much of it coming since Biggs joined the board in 2014. Don’t think that is coincidental.

For those who don’t know, the Golden LEAF Foundation was established by the General Assembly in 1999 to administer one half of North Carolina’s share of the massive tobacco settlement, a decision that testifies to the foresight of the lawmakers who made that happen. So instead of that money going poof through a Big Bang spending approach, it has been invested and remains robust, capable two decades later of doing necessary and important work in communities that need the help.

Biggs said as much in an announcement about his chairmanship: “The foresight of our past agriculture and state elected leaders to create this foundation, and to set aside to save and invest the state’s share of the tobacco settlement payments instead of spending it all like many states have done, has created a foundation that will be able to help rural areas have available infrastructure for industry seekers, workforce training at our community colleges, and afford students a chance to attend college.”

Robeson County, which depended so heavily for so long on tobacco, certainly is among those distressed local economies, and more so than most.

We don’t want to heavily suggest that Biggs will be partial to Robeson County when it comes time to make decisions on where the money will go. In fact, we are aware of more than a few grant requests coming from Robeson County that did not meet the board’s muster, meaning they must go back to the drawing board.

But we are convinced of this: Biggs is intimate with the needs in Robeson County, and they are unlikely to be forgotten when the Golden LEAF board meets to make decisions. Making the case for need in this county isn’t a tall wall, and few are as well-versed or as well-connected as is Biggs when the subject is Robeson County.

But perhaps even more important, Biggs is widely known in all corners of the county, and easily approachable, which increases the likelihood of funding requests coming from here and to Rocky Mount, which is where Golden LEAF is headquartered. It is true that the squeaky wheel gets the most grease, so we expect that Biggs will have no shortage of local phone calls concerning requests for help.

We are confident as well that Biggs will work hard to fulfill those requests, but will do so while staying within the white lines.