Town Hall Meeting

TOWN HALL MEETING:
Friday, November 16th @ 3:30 pm. at the Lake Chapala Society.
The meeting will be conducted in English and/or with translator.

This will be the first Town Hall meeting by the new Administration, especially geared for Gringos. The Municipal de Chapala urges you to attend this meeting which was coordinated in direct response to the outcry of complaints about the corruption, mordidas, extortion and intimidation from the traffic officers.
Hosting this meeting will be:
* Comandante del municipal de Chapala Transito - Gerardo Mejia Bautista
* Director de Policía de Seguridad Público - Amador Bacena Pizon
* Oficial Mayor de City Services - Sergio Gutierrez Tejada
* Expat Liaison - Hector España Ramos
Intentions of the meeting:
The Municipal Government of Chapala, through Hector España, is inviting you to attend a Town Hall meeting with the purpose of updating the expat community on the Transito Police concerns and subsequent actions implemented by our authorities. The new administration is staunch in its conviction to govern with transparency and exemplify a new leadership, end rumors, update community and make a change.
This is not to be missed. There will be vital and important information shared, as well as unexpected actions taken. If you have questions, doubts or concerns this will be an opportunity for them to be addressed. This is not a political gathering, but rather a venue for the Gringo community to have a voice and to be informed.

Since it is actually a very, very, small minority that have been "hassled" by transitos I would hope the primary topic of discussion would be the absolute disgrace the infrastructure is in (roads, sidewalks, garbage pick-up, raw sewage running in the streets when it rains, traffic lights that are burned out, etc., etc., etc.).

Exactly right, CB!
Hope they use this opportunity to talk about that kind of stuff. But then . . . . . .

I'm old, got a face that look like an Irish road map, and drive all over locally. GDL, and the whole damn country and never get stopped by Vialidad.
What am I doing wrong?  I know they can't see that INE card in my wallet from afar???
As Alice said...."tis a puzzlement".....
Maybe it's that NO MORDIDA sticker on my window in bold letters that's scaring them off.

I think the transtos smell the newbes miles away.. They arassed me when I came but they have not stopped me for years...

I think you nailed it Brigitte. Driving while looking slightly puzzled and perplexed is a sure giveaway. I've seen the same expression on people pushing grocery carts in Walmart. You just know they're in unfamiliar territory.

CanuckBob wrote:Since it is actually a very, very, small minority that have been "hassled" by transitos I would hope the primary topic of discussion would be the absolute disgrace the infrastructure is in (roads, sidewalks, garbage pick-up, raw sewage running in the streets when it rains, traffic lights that are burned out, etc., etc., etc.).

I believe that meeting occurred on Monday, November 5th in Chapala. I was not able to attend and have yet to hear the outcome.

What meeting was that?

CanuckBob wrote:What meeting was that?

It was on the 5th at 2 pm inside the Casa de la Cultura.  Called by the new Presidente, Town Hall style.  He was going to present and discuss infrastructure issues and ideas for improvement.  Locals and gringos were encouraged to attend.  If anyone knows someone that went, it would be great to hear the outcome.

Oh Ok. So this new meeting you have posted about is to only talk about transitos?

CanuckBob wrote:Oh Ok. So this new meeting you have posted about is to only talk about transitos?

That is my understanding Bob, but you know how these things can veer off. I see on the other board that Harry B is suggesting writing questions and submitting them to the officials present.

OK. Thank you for the info. Hopefully it veers off to infrastructure so the Mayor can realize what a huge problem/concern this is.

OK. This is getting confusing. To my understanding, the meeting on November the 5th was for RIBERAS RESIDENTS ONLY and pertained only to Riberas problems.
http://www.insidelakeside.com/t20802-riberas-residents-mayor-meeting-today
The meeting shown in THIS thread is for everyone and is to deal with TRANSITO PROBLEMS.
Absolutely nothing which get accomplished if we scatter shoot and drag other things into the purpose of the meeting.
BTW, all the times for the meetings really suck for me so if anyone who is able to attend could give a brief synopsis after the fact, it would really be appreciated.

isn´t el Gordo a State employee? I have never been harassed by the municipal cops or transitos.. so can these guys do something about the State employees?

I understand it to only be about the crooked transitos. I don’t even understand why there has to be a meeting about it. Everyone knows who the crooks are. They have some letters of complaint. Why don’t they either do something about it or let it slide? Why discuss it? Same with the meetings about Riberas. They meet, they talk and everything goes on as usual. Seems to me a lot of these things are like giving pacifiers to babies to shut them up. Note I said a LOT, not all.

Agree, Carry.
Sometimes I think a seminar on "how things work in Mexico" is needed for newcomers.
Before we bought a car with Mexican plates, we used to be followed by cops but never flagged down. Once we had Mexican plates, hasn't happened.

"ferret" is correct. The Nov 5 meeting focused on Riberas and sewers and drainage issues.

Is there any progress on the Riberas issues?

I agree Carry! Well said!

I also agree, Carry. You said it well. There is no need for discussion, just fix it. The Transitos don't hassle me either, helps to never look at them or to wave back when they try to flag you down . . .

Promises on the Riberas issues, but no progress yet. Time will tell.

The present administration inherited empty coffers from day one, so what CAN they do, even if they wanted to?

gringal wrote:The present administration inherited empty coffers from day one, so what CAN they do, even if they wanted to?

Probably not much but I hope they don’t make a bunch of promises impossible to keep. The last administration talked big all the time. I just wonder why all these meetings are usually held when working Mexicans aren’t able to attend.

Working Mexicans get off at 2 and go back at 4 or 5.
Comida, siesta, novelas . . .

It's not a "meeting". It's a "show". At the Lake Chapala Society, no less.

When I first saw this post I thought...."Oh, this must be what all the new people on Facebook are up to."

Exactly right, Rosa. Apparently this will be the latest dog and pony show.

If it is to satisfy the newbies on FB, I predict it will evolve to " robberies" no later than the . . . oh, second question. Infrastructure doesn't appear to be an issue for them.

I like this little teaser: "There will be vital and important information shared, as well as unexpected actions taken." Unexpected actions!