Lakeside community leaders who were invited to attend a luncheon with Governor Aristoteles Sandoval during his August 8 visit took advantage of the occasion to do more than casual glad-handing with the state’s chief executive. They turned it into an opportunity to bend the ear of members of Sandoval’s cabinet, soliciting top-level attention to a variety of pressing local issues.
Those introductory encounters are already beginning to bear fruits. A group of entrepreneurs and community organization leaders have taken the first steps towards shaping a joint advocacy board aimed at working shoulder-to-shoulder with government authorities to resolve common problems, turn the area into a more amenable destination for tourists and retirees, and boost the local economy.
The first session of the budding Lakeside Community Council was held on Thursday, August 29, with Lake Chapala Society president Howard Feldstein presiding. Government officials in attendance were Jalisco Economic Development Minister Jose Palacios Jimenez, Guadalajara Immigration office chief Ricardo Vera Lira, Chapala Secretary General Nicolas Padilla standing in for the mayor and Ajijic Delegado Hector España. Also present were representatives of the Canadian Club of Lake Chapala, the American Legion, Ajijic’s Citizen Advisory Committee, the local Chamber of Commerce and the real estate sector.The group held its first working session to look into ways of combating key issues that impact the comfort and well-being of the expatriate community. The council’s initial objectives are to pin down government agencies for clarity and consistency in the application of regulations regarding immigration, customs and traffic control and to foster optimum attention to public safety issues. An overriding goal is to dispel the swelling perception that Mexico has become a less friendly place for foreign retirees.
As the next step, the group will carry out an economic impact study taking into account the influence of expat residents and visitors as the basis for a fine-tuned plan of action. Broader representation from all segments of the community is being sought to consolidate the council into a well-rounded body.