CCHA’s best-attended meeting ever!!
If you didn’t attend the Assembly, here is an overview of what happened and things that were discussed.
Report from Jeff Wright, the Interim Board President:
- Introduction of Interim Board.
- Overview of state of affairs in Conchas Chinas, including the change in administration.
- Discussion of Interim Board’s vision for the future of Conchas Chinas/ways to improve the beauty, distinctiveness, and quality of life in the colonia.
- Discussed the necessity of the CCHA to provide the services that are not provided by the City of Puerto Vallarta.
- Reported the shortfall of revenue in 2019 due to a decreased number of homeowners paying their dues, and how this was detrimental to the colonia—i.e. roadwork was delayed, lighting was not replaced or repaired.
- Explained how the money that CCHA receives from membership dues are spent: in order to pay for all services that the City of Puerto Vallarta does not provide for Conchas Chinas (these services are listed below in the “About Conchas Chinas” section.
The next speaker was the Administrator, Manuel Franco, who gave the financial report from 2019 and presented the budget for 2020. The estimated revenue from membership dues in 2020 is $1,339,650 pesos, and from other donations is $200,000 pesos. The estimated expenses are $1,307,173 pesos. The budget was voted on and approved.
Jeff Wright gave the membership report, with discussion of how many people have paid their 2020 dues, and the necessity of encouraging more Conchas Chinas residents to become members and pay their dues in order to achieve our projected revenue.
Dan Custer and Ramiro Rincon made a presentation on ideas for beautification of the colonia. Dan discussed development in Conchas Chinas, some of which is unauthorized, and our plans to deter all illegal or unauthorized development. He also discussed the protection of the “Green Zone” on Paseo de las Madre Perlas, which is possibly in danger of development. Dan and Ramiro then mentioned fundraising ideas, including a Tour of Homes. (Unfortunately the Tour of Homes had to be postponed until the fall because of COVID-19 precautions.)
Election and Confirmation of the Board of Directors: All members of the interim board volunteered to remain as board members for the next term. Jeff Wrightasked if there were other nominations. There were none. Election of the interim board members as active board members was voted on and passed by a majority.
A vote was taken on two amendments to the bylaws, those being:
- Changing the term of the board to two years.
- Changing the requirements of announcement of the annual General Assembly—from requiring a notice in the local newspaper to email notice and banners in the colonia at least 30 days prior to the Assembly.
Both motions passed.
Both motions passed.
Appointment of Manuel Franco as Independent Administrator was put to a vote, and passed by a majority.
The meeting was adjourned and followed by a cocktail reception, with food provided by Pulpito 116 and music by Freddy Otelo.
A message from the CCHA President:
Dear Conchas Chinas neighbors:
My name is Jeff Wright and I am the new president of the Conchas Chinas Homeowners’ Association (CCHA). I was recently elected, after long-term president Tari Bowman stepped down last fall. An entirely new CCHA board is also now in place, and we all want to very much thank the former board members Tari, John Cotton, Joni Henry, and Janet Cotton, as well as Don Sullivan. You all did a great job for the colonia for many years, and we are excited to go forward with the organization that you helped build.
I moved to Conchas Chinas from Dallas a little over two years ago, though I had been vacationing here for over twenty years. When I moved to Puerto Vallarta I was asked by some of the owners in my condominium building if I would consider running for a condo board position. I did so, and I have been serving on the board of Punta Esmeralda ever since. I thought that I came to Vallarta to relax and work on my suntan, but after about a year of relaxation and beach days I realized that I wanted to do more. That’s when I decided to become more involved in the neighborhood that I truly love and where I plan to spend the rest of my life.
Whether we live in Upper or Lower Conchas Chinas, I know that we all enjoy many of the same things: the overall beauty of the Colonia; Playa Conchas Chinas; the amazing views; hearing the waves; not hearing noise from nightclubs, frequent loud parties, or farm animals; and many of the other great features of our colonia. We must also deal with some of the issues that all residents of Puerto Vallarta face. We all love the cobblestones, but they are difficult to keep in good shape. We love our climate, but we have to deal with the destruction caused by heavy rains and storms in the summer. We love the natural beauty, but we have to keep the plants in-check or we could be overrun by the jungle. Also, our community is aging. As with anything else that is getting older, the infrastructure of our neighborhood needs more care than it did when the community was new. The CCHA is here to make sure that everything in Conchas Chinas keeps running smoothly and effortlessly, and to provide the integral services that the City of Puerto Vallarta doesn’t provide for us. In addition, we have an even greater vision for our community, and ways that you can help by supporting our organization.
The Conchas Chinas Homeowners Association has one primary mission: to improve the quality of life in Conchas Chinas. This is done in many ways; some crucial, and some elective. Included in the crucial category are providing the services that aren’t provided to us by the City of Puerto Vallarta. These are many, and they are listed in the “About” section of this newsletter. They include road repair, upkeep of streetlights, and representation at City Hall, just to name a few.
The elective items are basically our wish list of what we would like for the Colonia in order for us to enjoy life here even more. These are also items that we need special donations for, as they are not included in our budget to be paid for by basic dues. One of these goals is a sidewalk along the highway similar to the one that was completed in the Amapas neighborhood last year. We are currently requesting donations to refurbish each of the aging streetlights in the Colonia. Several have already been completely refurbished, and we have received funds to do two more. That still leaves many that need to be redone, and if you would like to help with this the cost is $3,000 pesos per lightpost. Additionally, we would like to further beautify the entrances into Conchas Chinas, and provide maps of the Colonia at each entrance. We would like to turn our green areas into more park-like environments that can be better-enjoyed by both residents and guests. Another elective service that would give us all more peace of mind would be a private security company to patrol the Colonia at all times. Had this been in place last year when we experienced several break-ins in the neighborhood, they likely could have been avoided.
I love Conchas Chinas. I appreciate its beauty and tranquility every day, and I honestly wouldn’t want to live anywhere else. But I also see room for improvement. If you live here full-time, this is your home. I know that you take pride in it. If you live here part-time, this is your refuge; your paradise. It’s where you come in order to get away from the stress of work or the busy-ness of your life at home. It’s where you come to relax. That’s why it should truly be paradise, and why I, and the other board members, want to help Conchas Chinas be as wonderful as it can possibly be!
Please stay safe and healthy.
Saludos,
Jeff Wright
