At Wednesday’s online West Tisbury select board meeting, board member Skipper Manter, a recently retired lieutenant with the town police force, thanked the town for his retirement celebration on July 31.

“I had my very own parade. That was the biggest surprise I ever had in my life,” he said. “I was expecting a fire engine or two, but they just kept coming.”

“The highlight was Fred Fisher on his tractor. That really made it West Tisbury,” he added. “It was a wonderful feeling.”

Mr. Manter served on the West Tisbury force for nearly half a century, under four police chiefs and in seven police stations.

“I couldn’t have had a more pleasurable career,” he said Wednesday. “I had a wonderful 47 years and I’d do it all over again.”