Forward-thinking property owners in lakeside’s Mirasol subdivision have opted for cutting-edge technology as their first line of defense against crime.
With the September 5 activation of a comprehensive video surveillance system, every street and access in the quiet residential enclave is under around-the-clock watch by 28 cameras installed at strategic points and a computer monitor housed in the Asociacion de Vecinos (Neighbors Association) office.
Mirasol residents have already implemented a neighborhood watch program and elected to kick in the salary for a Chapala policeman to keep guard on the neighborhood.
On hand to assist at Wednesday’s ribbon-cutting, Chapala police chief Reynol Contreras gave home owners and the association board a pat on the back for just the sort of decisive, pro-active approach he has advocated since public security became a hot-button community issue nearly one year ago.
Recognizing the limitations under which the Chapala police force operates, he told the Reporter that Mirasol has set an example he believes other fraccionamientos would do well to follow.
According to Mirasol Association President Gerardo Ramos, the surveillance equipment and technical support to get it working required an investment of 146,715 pesos. Bills were paid entirely from the kitty of annual homeowner fees. For average Mirasol property, on lots measuring around 360 square meters, individual payments run at 645 pesos per month or a per annum total of 7,740 pesos.
Under prudent financial management, the association also managed to squirrel away sufficient funds to purchase a tailor-made water filtration system without the need for a special assessment. Designed by San Antonio Tlayacapan chemical engineer Alfredo Espinoza, the equipment removes undesirable substances and odors from the subdivision’s well water and efficiently pumps a steady, potable supply to each property.