[caption id="attachment_33929" align="aligncenter" width="467"]<a href="http://www.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/datawphoto.png" rel="attachment wp-att-33929"><img class="size-full wp-image-33929" src="http://www.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/datawphoto.png" alt="County Councilman Paul Sommerville, center, was recently honored by the Dataw Island Property Owners Association. Photo provided." width="467" height="227"></a> County Councilman Paul Sommerville, center, was recently honored by the Dataw Island Property Owners Association. Photo provided.[/caption]

The Dataw Island Owners Association (DIOA) recently hosted Beaufort Country Council Chairman D. Paul Sommerville, who represents District 2, which includes MCAS, Beaufort, Lady’s Island, Fripp Island, Dataw Island, Hunting Island and areas in between.&nbsp;

These coastal areas have been affected by severe storms over the past two years, and the DIOA invited Sommerville to recognize his hard work and representation throughout these events.

“After the past two years of severe weather we have appreciated the relationship among our private community, the county government, the state government and various federal government agencies,” said DIOA President Steve Wexler.

Dataw’s general manager, Ted Bartlett, formally expressed gratitude to Sommerville, the Beaufort County Council and county administration:&nbsp;

“On behalf of all staff, Dataw Island Club and especially all Dataw Island Owner’s Association property members, I would like to express our appreciation of, and gratitude for, all of the efforts made over the past many months as we have planned for and recovered from a number of extraordinary weather events,” he said.

“The County Council has provided us with good leadership through some pretty troubling times. The county administration and staff has performed admirably, as they have prepared for and responded to the weather events that have so tried our county.&nbsp;

“From the pre-planning notices and press conferences to the actions during storm times and the subsequent multi-faceted recovery efforts which included a highly needed request for action to FEMA after Hurricane Matthew, we are all very pleased with the actions taken by our local government and county staff.&nbsp; I know that we are all very pleased to find ourselves residents here and feel comforted that we are in good hands here in Beaufort County, South Carolina.”

A Beaufort native and Army veteran, Sommerville’s committee assignments include Natural Resources, Community Services, and Finance.