About the Author

July 28, 2022 Swansboro, CA

The Swansboro Sentinel recently published a number of articles by our associate editor, Tom Harris. You may wonder just who he is. What follows is a brief history, in his own words, of who he is and his contributions to Swansboro. – Editor

After reading some of my articles in the Sentinel, some new acquaintances have asked about my experiences and involvement in the Swansboro/Mosquito community.  After all, a knowledge of the past helps in understanding the present.  So, for anyone interested, here’s a brief summary.

My wife Dee and I moved to our home on Log Cabin Lane in May of 2007 from our horse farm in North Salem, Indiana.  We have twin daughters and five grandkids.  I am a veteran of the U.S. Army and served 1968 – 1970.  I earned a bachelor’s degree in 1975 in Business Management and an A&P license from Lewis University in Illinois. I retired from United Airlines in May, 2005 after 28 years of service as a mechanic, instructor and Quality Assurance rep.  I’ve traveled extensively, including three week motorcycle trips thru the Alps and Spain, and a three week trip to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.  I am 74 years old.

When I first saw Finnon Lake, I was amazed at its quiet beauty – even with the water level at half capacity.  I couldn’t stop imagining what it would look like if restored to full capacity.  The lake was one of the main reasons we were attracted to Mosquito/Swansboro.

In June of 2008, I was asked to fill a vacancy for the MFPD Board of Directors.  I joined the board, then won re-election in 2012 and served on the board until June, 2014 for a total of six years.  In 2009, I was asked to join the MVFA Board of Directors.  I declined, but promised to run for the MVFA board after I finished my term with MFPD. 

In the meantime, I accepted the position as Property Manager of Finnon Lake Recreation Area, which is owned by MVFA.  I stayed as Property Manager for almost eight years, during which time I accumulated a call list of more than 40 volunteers.  In 2010, I joined the MVFA Dam Restoration Committee under Ralph Hern.  As property manager, along with a lot of Finnon volunteers, we drained the lake, moved the majority of fish to a impoundment behind the coffer dam, and continually monitored and maintained the water level. 

After the dam was completed in November, 2011, and before the lake level rose, the campground was completely reconfigured.  The day-use parking lots were graded, and a boat ramp was added, all courtesy of the D-5 fire crews from Sacramento Metro Fire Department.

The five-member Dam Restoration Committee was responsible for accomplishing all the work necessary after the dam construction was completed.  This work included a new steel spillway bridge, gravel on the road across the dam and the safety railing along the road.  It also included road signage, repaving the café parking lot, and a new drainage system to direct storm water off the parking lot and away from the lake.  Plus, a recorder took photographs and made reports on the progress of work.

Added to this, all the trees and bushes that grew up along the lake shoreline during the lake’s ten year inactive status were removed below the full lake  water line.  Then, after a five year drought, the full lake breached the spillway on January 20, 2017 for the first time since the dam was completed, and for the first time since the original dam was condemned more than 15 years prior.

Before and during the dam restoration, income from Finnon Lake was sparse.  To continue to pay the bills – dam inspection fees, insurance and property tax – the board relied on donations from MVFA dinners and events, some of which had begun back in the 70’s.  MVFA also promoted fund raisers for equipment needed by the fire station, like the infra-red camera and new washer and dryer.

In June, 2014, I joined the MVFA Board of Directors, and served as Chairman for two years.  I left the MVFA board around 2019.  During my term on the MFPD board, I volunteered to be liaison between the Mosquito Fire Department and MVFA.  I attended both monthly meetings, and gave reports on the activities of each.  Back then, under Chiefs Leo Chaloux and Bob Davis, the MFPD and MVFA were close, and the chiefs attended MVFA meetings regularly. During this time, MVFA set up a permanent fund to be used exclusively by the Mosquito Fire department to pay for off-budget items requested by the Chief.

Sometime around 2010, Chief Davis asked me to join the MFPD Support Group – specifically to train and operate old Pump 75.  I joined, and during the King Fire in September, 2014, when the EID hydrants couldn’t keep up with the demand for water, I was among three crews operating the pump continuously at Lower Twin Ponds, filling waiting tenders and water trucks under the direction of MFPD Battalion Chief Chris Johns. 

Many MFPD Support Group members stayed behind during the evacuation.  We operated equipment, answered the phones, cooked and served meals, cleaned the station, bagged lunches, handed out water, ran errands to town and printed local maps for the huge influx of fire fighters.  For more than two weeks during the King Fire, Support Group members worked ten hour days.

During my time serving as Property Manager, I shared the position of Campground Host at Finnon Lake.  I took reservations, and when there was an issue at the campground, I got the call.  But I loved it, and met people from all over the country and all over the world – from Europe, and as far away as Tahiti.  The campground and disc golf course had put Finnon Lake on the map.  

In summary, I served on the MFPD Board of Directors for six years; served with MVFA as Property Manager, campground host and board member for over ten years, and served on MFPD Support Group for over ten years.

My thanks go out to all the volunteers who helped at Finnon Lake over the years – many of whom are no longer with us.  All the work involved with the dam restoration  would never have been accomplished without their help.  Thanks also to the incredible staff and volunteers with Mosquito Fire Department who, over the years, have done so much with so little.