Tuscarawas County Chamber Commerce issued the following announcement on March 10.
Joseph J. Sommer, who served on the Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District (MWCD) Board of Directors, 1994 through 2002, passed away on Monday, March 7. He was 94. He was an avid supporter of the MWCD and also served on the Muskingum Watershed Conservancy Foundation (MWCF) Board of Trustees.
“Joe will be greatly missed as both a leader, and a friend,” said Gordon Maupin, MWCD Board of Directors, President. “Our sincere condolences go out to the family who lost their loved one.”
He is described as the “perfect public servant” because he generously supported and served in volunteer positions for dozens of nonprofit organizations, many of which focused on the environment and natural resources. He received numerous accolades throughout his life recognizing his many accomplishments.
“Joe was passionate about conservation and recreation,” said John Hoopingarner, Chairman of the Board of Trustees for MWCF and retired MWCD Executive Director. “Beyond his support for the MWCD, he was instrumental in the formation of the MWCF and gratefully accepted the first donation to the Foundation by Leslie Hudson Carper, in memory of her late husband, Tom Hudson. Our most sincere condolences to the Sommer family, thank you for sharing an important part of his life with us.”
About Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District
The MWCD, a political subdivision of the state, was organized in 1933 to develop and implement a plan to reduce flooding and conserve water for beneficial public uses in the Muskingum River Watershed, the largest wholly contained watershed in Ohio. Since their construction, the 16 reservoirs and dams in the MWCD region have been credited for saving over $7 billion worth of potential property damage from flooding, according to the federal government, as well as providing popular recreational opportunities that bolster the region’s economy. A significant portion of the reservoirs are managed by the MWCD and the dams are managed for flood-risk management by the federal U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). For more information about the MWCD, visit www.mwcd.org and follow the MWCD on Facebook and Twitter.
Original source can be found here.
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