Former Del Mar Councilman Jerry Finnell dies at 67 Retired accountant credited for drafting financial recovery plan By Adam Kaye North County Times February 21, 2008 DEL MAR -- Jerry Finnell, a former councilman who brought a career's worth of financial experience to City Hall, died Tuesday after fighting leukemia for 18 months, his relatives said. Finnell was 67 and had served on the council from 2002 to 2007. He resigned from the council in April to resume cancer treatment after a period of remission. During the fall of 2006, debilitating chemotherapy prevented Finnell from actively campaigning, but he won a second term and emerged as the top vote-getter. At the time, he participated in a candidates' debate and in some City Council meetings by telephone. "Jerry was wonderfully patient and a very steady force," said Penny Abell, a community volunteer. "One of Jerry's real strengths was his moderating influence. It really made a huge difference in helping to get issues resolved." Mayor Dave Druker said Del Mar had lost a great leader, but that the "Finnell Plan" -- a fiscal approach designed to generate $64 million for capital improvements over the next 20 years -- would live on. "That's the mandate," Druker said. "To make sure costs don't rise as much as revenues." Finnell retired in 1995 as a senior partner with KPMG, one of the big four accounting firms. Before his election to the council, Finnell volunteered his financial know-how to the city's Finance Committee and was the panel's chairman for two years. He also loaned his skills to Del Mar Community Connections, a social services group, as the organization's founding treasurer, said Abell. Finnell served on the City Facilities Advisory Committee and the Ad Hoc Fairgrounds Master Plan Advisory Committee. He helped organize the formation of a neighborhood assessment district to bury utility lines. A graduate of UCLA, Finnell enjoyed basketball, tennis and hiking, a passion he developed when his son was a Boy Scout, and that took him later in life to the Swiss Alps. When the family lived in Chicago, he and his wife enjoyed curling. Finnell is survived by his wife of 44 years, Kathy; son Donald; daughter Jennifer; and one grandson, all of San Diego. A public memorial service is pending. Donations can be sent to the Gerald Finnell Memorial Fund for AML Research. Checks should be made payable to the UCSD Foundation and sent to the Moores Cancer Center, attention Pam Warner, 3855 Health Sciences Drive-0658, La Jolla, CA 92093. -- Contact staff writer Adam Kaye at (760) 901-4074 or akaye@nctimes.com Copyright 1999-2008, California Coastal Coalition Phone: (760) 944-3564