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NOVEMBER 2017 MARKETPLACECONTRACOSTA.COM 21
When he was elected to the city council for the
second time in 2008, nearly 20 years later, it was due
to a recall. Pinole needed him, as it was time for a
plan. “The city was in dire straights,” he said. “We were
close to bankruptcy, and the group that went in at that
time was dedicated to making the city whole again.
And we did that! We spent about 6 years in office
turning the city around.” Swearingen’s been re-elected
every term since then, so that he’s now serving his 3rd
consecutive term on the Pinole City Council; his 4th
term overall.
Today the council’s focus is on the usual
improvements: park issues, keeping community
fields in good shape, and focusing on growing local
business. A main priority right now is tearing down
an old house by the senior center in order to use
that property to expand and improve the facilities at
the center. “That’s part of the plan,” said Swearingen,
continuing improvements on the place he helped
build decades ago.
Aside from volunteering to support his community,
Swearingen still had to make a living over the years.
He’s a retired sheet metal worker of SMWI Local 104,
and owned and operated H.A. Swearingen Heating
and Sheet Metal Company for 27 years. In his off
hours Swearingen’s usually spending time with the
family. He’s been married to Rosemary, his high
school sweetheart, for the past 56 years. They have
two children, three grandchildren, and two greatgrandchildren.
Swearingen is also a certified SCUBA rescue diver.
He and his wife have dived together all over the
world in places like the Great Barrier Reef, the Coral
Sea, the Turks and Caicos Islands, and the Galapagos
Islands.
It’s now been more than 48 years since Swearingen
has been serving as a leader of Pinole’s many service
organizations, and this year marks his 14th year of
dedicated work as an elected city official. If you want
to make a difference in your local community, “you
really have to know the people that are involved,” he
said. “It’s like any organization—from outside you
can’t do much, but from inside you can do a lot.” So
maybe reach out to your local city council or service
organization, attend a meeting, make a plan, and start
getting involved.
SHOP LOCAL
$hop Local,
$hop $mart,
in Pinole $hop Pinole.
Grilled chicken, rice, black beans,
smashed avocado, romaine, pickled red
onion, cheddar & roasted tomato salsa.
Expires 12/15/17. Valid at participating
locations. Valid in-cafe only. Not valid with any
other offer or discounts. Limit one coupon per
customer per visit. #5349
any 24 oz. smoothie
w/ purchase of any
24 oz. smoothie at
regular price
Expires 12/15/17. Valid at participating
locations. Valid in-cafe only. Not valid with
any other offer or discounts. Limit one
coupon per customer per visit. #5320
Tropical Smoothie Cafe
Pinole Vista Crossing Shopping Center
1424 Pinole Valley Rd, Pinole, CA
(510) 417-2245