PAWLEYS ISLAND, S.C. — Police Chief Guy Osborne says he came to address property owners and soon heard Mayor Bill Otis announcing his name as Citizen of the Year.

He told the Pawleys Island Civic Association crowd he feels he is a hard man to fool.

"But you fooled me completely," said the veteran law enforcement officer in his eighth year of service to Pawleys Island. He was honored during the 40th annual meeting of the association in the Pawleys Chapel Saturday.

Citizen of Year Award is presented to Police Chief Guy Osborne by Pawleys Island Mayor Bill Otis, who began saying this recipient was neither a property owner or resident of the community.

“He’s given vitality to all of us during his service here,” Mayor Otis said.

“He is a dedicated professional with a sense of duty who enjoys our town’s parades and loves to serve our property owners. A six-year U.S. Army veteran, he leads continuing education classes in defensive driving, self-discipline, physical fitness and law enforcement tactics and refresher training.”

Pawleys Island Civic Association President Linwood Altman who predicted this capacity crowd from throughout the Island and Georgetown County.

Altman said this is the 40th time the association has met in Pawleys Chapel on Pawleys Island Creek.

Turtle report

Mary Schneider, who represents the South Carolina United Turtle Enthusiasts (SCUTE), reported that 16 sea turtle nests on the Pawleys Island this year.

She says 11 nests hatched so far with an 88-percent success rate. There are five more nests to hatch this season.

Schneider shared other statistics, such as Nest No. 1 yielding a Pawleys Island record of 171 eggs.

She said there are more than 1,095 live hatchlings.

DNA samples have been collected this year for the first time on one egg per nest.

She thanked the Pawleys Island Civic Association for providing refrigerator magnets to 550 rental units.

These magnets contained information about the sea turtle nesting season.

By Lloyd Mackall

lmackall@sc.rr.com