Record of Event pg 1 of 1
Where: Cruz del Palmar Community “Salon”
When: 19th November 2010
Who: Communities represented: More than 52 Adults including 17 men from:
CdP, Vivienda de Abajo, Tierra Blanca, Presita de Santa Rosa, Juan Gonzalez, Villa de Guadalupe, Los Torres, Capaderillo, La Tinaja, 5 Senores, Guerrero, Montecillo de Nieto, Vivienda de Arriba,
NGOs :CEDESA (Jesús Guitierrez, Holly Yasui, ), Laura – Rotary, Irma Rosado – Representing the municipality, Mario & from Gaia,
Purpose: To plan & create a Citizens Water Board..& work together to resolve the issues raised as important by the communities represented.
!. Introductions everyone introduced themselves.
2. Consejo de Agua Jesus spoke about forming a Consejo de agua, citizens group re water. Working with communities, govt. organizations & NGO’s who are working in this area. There is a need for sustainability & ownership by the communities so that they are not reliant on the team currently working with them (ie Cedesa, Rotary).
The “acta” (official wording”) was handed out & explained.
It is to form an entity to be recognized as representative of their communities by the govt.
Irma further explained that the formation of this Consejo will strengthen the ability of the people to work on the total water issues.
I mentioned the commitment made by Desarollo Social re the “package” they were proposing for 150 families, including dry toilets, solar water heating etc, & suggested that a better use of the funds might be to concentrate on the list of 323 families who have applied by completing forms, for assistance with water.
Irma/Jesus responded that the consejo’s purpose would be to decide/prioritise & propose requests to Govt. & collaborate with all parties.
There were various side discussions about other water issues, some wells not functioning for example.
Jesus proposed having different committees formed for different areas/issues, ie extraction, contamination, environment, capture of water.
The representative consejo group was formed, & President & Secretary were elected.
There was some confusion amongst the participants (including Laura & Holly) as to the process of this meeting, it was not the normal meeting where agenda was decided by participants & run by person elected that day at the meeting. Jesus had created an agenda in advance & was running the meeting.
As a result many of the attendees were confused as to what was going on.
Jesus needed to leave early & left with Irma.
Mario took over the meeting & scheduled the next series of “special purpose” meetings,
Captacion – Thurs 25/11 1pm CdP
Health – Monday 22/11 1pm CdP
Extraction 2/12 1pm Cdp
Dry Toilets – 29/11 1pm
Environment 30/11 1pm Cdp
The meeting disbanded.
(side note, Laura, Holly, Jesus, Chela & Saul, later had a meeting to discuss this departure from the norm. the other issue meeting were later “scrapped” & it has now reverted back to 1 mtg for Regional representatives of the formed Consejo & 1 meeting per micro region (6 communities grouped together).
