District 1 candidates not forgetting Daniel Is.

Two candidates for Charleston City Council District 1 each pledged to pay attention to the needs of Daniel Island if elected on Nov. 6, during a forum Monday at Bishop England High School.

There has never been a City Council member from Daniel Island, and banker Gary White hopes to be the first.

Ernest Long, who lives in down- town Charleston, said that residents of Daniel Island would get the best representation on City Council by choosing him.

District 1 includes Daniel Island, the lower tip of the Charleston peninsula, and part of James Island.

Whichever candidate wins will be a newcomer to City Council, filling the seat that will be vacated by Henry Fishburne, who did not seek re-election.

"Real city municipal experience counts," said Long, who is president of the Charlestowne Neighborhood Association and serves on the city's Tourism Commission.

"For years, not just months, I have been working on the problems that affect people in Charleston," he said. "I have participated and participated."

White noted that he grew up on James Island, works on Broad Street, and lives on Daniel Island, connecting him with each part of the City Council district he hopes to serve.

"I'm committed to all parts of this district, and I intend to serve everyone," White said.

White said Daniel Island might not have been getting its fair share of capital project funds from the city for things such as parks, and the solution is to elect him.

Reach David Slade at 937-5552 or dslade@postandcourier.com.