Dear Sir,
The Lake Chapala Society promotes itself as a pillar of community, cultural respect, and ethical engagement. My direct experience as its former Executive Director compels me to say plainly: its current actions fall short of those principles.
During my tenure, multiple construction projects at the Wilkes Center and on the main campus were properly bid, professionally managed, and formally approved by the Board of Directors. Contracts were carried out following a transparent process under the supervision of qualified architectural and project management professionals. A contractor—an established Mexican professional supporting a family—delivered work that was on time, on budget, and of extremely high quality.
Despite this, more than 100,000 pesos in duly approved or awarded contracts are unpaid. These are not informal arrangements or disputed handshakes; they are board-approved commitments backed by documentation and a clear process.
Refusing to honor such obligations is not a minor administrative matter. It is a failure of governance and a breach of trust. It sends a damaging message to the very local community the Society claims to support; that commitments can be set aside without consequence, even when the work has been performed in good faith.
Community institutions do not earn respect through mission statements; they earn it through their actions. The Lake Chapala Society now faces a simple test of integrity: honor its commitments or explain publicly why it believes it is justified in not doing so.
Silence or inaction will only deepen concern among those who value fairness, accountability, and genuine cross-cultural respect.
W. James Burns