In October, we started a new community electricity project. It’s really a continuation of the area that was covered by the federal grant we got last year that provided the colonia with electricity. Unfortunately, that little grant didn’t run lines to all the houses that are inhabited in La Yacata, and it took nearly a year to get this project rolling, what with estimates from different contracting companies, applications to CFE for another little grant, and trips to Guanajuato, Salvatierra, and Celaya for approval and paperwork. After some false promises, CFE Guanajuato dashed our hopes for any additional assistance from that quarter. Looked like we’d have to foot the bill ourselves.
Then the estimates from those contracting companies had to be brought before the colonos for approval, and there’s always hemming and hawing when that happens. Hence the delay.
The three main roads will have the lines finished, and 3 private roads will have posts installed. There’s a total of 11 posts and public lighting in those areas. All the lots in the dark purple area will then have access to electricity. The green areas are those that were covered by the grant last year.
When we set the second-semester aportación (community fees) last year, this project was included in the total amount requested. So those who have paid their aportaciones for 2024 had nothing more to contribute. Unfortunately, a good portion of colonos are in arrears, and without their money, we won’t be able to pay the contractor.
We sent an update letter in February to all the colonos and followed up with a personal messenger appointment notification in September for those that were not up to date with their aportaciones. Super Prez wanted to make home visits, but I objected. I didn’t have time for that. So the personal messenger was the compromise we made. We then set aside every Tuesday in October to receive these delinquent property owners. It was a colossal waste of time. The money received from this batch of foot-draggers didn’t even pay for the cost of having the notices delivered.
The next step is some sort of legal action. As we are a colonia, property owners are expected to abide by the regulations set forth by the community, one of which is payment of the aportaciones for community projects. In June, we had several lengthy community meetings to share those regulations with community members. These estatutos hadn’t been updated since 1995. Some of the bylaws were eliminated, including one that prohibited unmarried individuals from owning property in La Yacata. Others were clarified, such as the procedure for unbecoming community behavior, which includes non-payment of aportaciones. And some were added, like the formation of the Consejo de Honor y Justicia (more on that fiasco in another post).
During October’s community meeting, we brought up the idea of multas (fines) for those who have not paid. The asemblea determined 20% would be acceptable and that these deadbeat colonos would be referred to the CEJA (Centro Estatal de Justicia Alternativa) office in the next town over.
There was a small rush on payment of aportaciones the Tuesday following the junta, but not enough to make a dent in the amount we would need to pay for the current electricity project. Super Prez then asked for the phone numbers of colonos who have not paid, and he spent some time calling them to encourage them to pay up. Again, there was a small trickle of funds, but not enough to justify the time invested.
Super Prez again brought up the idea of home visits, and I shook my head emphatically. What we need to do is go to the CEJA office and find out what they need to start calling colonos in for mediation.
Unfortunately, there was a new wrench in the works. In June, the presidencia authorized escrituras (individual deeds), and the paperwork involved for that has been taking up every waking minute right now, but more on that in the next post.
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Need to see how it all began?
Check out La Yacata Revolution: How NOT to Buy a Piece of Heaven in Mexico available on Amazon.
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