Despite bitter internal disputes that have plagued Chula Vista property holders over the past several years and taken another negative turn in recent months, the January 25 annual assembly of the Chula Vista Homeowners Association proceeded according to the agenda with minimal fireworks and signs of strong solidarity among most of those present.
The overall placid tone that reined throughout the proceedings can be credited to Michael Kavanaugh, nominal president of the Associacion de Colonos Chula Vista Chapala (ACCVC), who presided at the meeting. He managed to maintain a cool and diplomatic demeanor as he faced steady fire from Belva and Enrique Velazquez, standing up as voices for adversaries who question the legality of the assembly, the validity of the board’s standing and diverse actions undertaken by the officers.
On the other hand, Kavanaugh and resident Jorge Angel Santana made the Velazquez spouses and their allies Paul Raza, Alma Chavez and Richard Feldman the target of serious accusations, charging them with misappropriation of ACCVC funds, a conspiracy to put the subdivision’s water supply and services up for public bid and other shenanigans including an attempt to suspend the assembly through a court order.
These contentious matters should eventually be sorted out definitively as various legal cases initiated by different parties work their way through the complex Mexican judicial system over coming months and perhaps years.It was clear that most of the 88 voting members and proxies represented at the assembly had Kavanaugh’s back. The 2014 budget proposal and other motions from the floor were approved by an overwhelming majority of hands in the air.
As there were no opposition candidates, the slate of board directors proposed by the ACCVC nominating committee was voted in by acclamation. Kavanaugh was elected for a repeat term to serve alongside Emily Perry, Nicolas Hanson, Clovis Baya, Joe de Leon, Ann Knowlton and George Radford. Following a separate vote among themselves, the first four were named as president, vice president, secretary and treasurer respectively. Allan Fla also received a unanimous vote from the assembly floor to act as advocate for the interests of all homeowners in the position of comisario.
Assuming they will be able to legally maintain their posts, members of the 2014 ACCVC board will have to confront multiple hurdles on the bumpy road ahead. Working in their favor is plenty of new blood in the association’s leadership, the significant professional experience they bring to the table and deep resolve to turn over a new leaf in Chula Vista’s checkered history.