Letters, Jan 19, 2007


Editor,

I am pleased that members of the foreign and Mexican community are beginning to earnestly speak out about the future development in San Miguel. The many letters to Atención and the increasing numbers at recent meetings and forums on the subject prove that sanmiguelenses want to be involved in this exciting but difficult planning process.

There are many questions still to be answered—especially in the light of the residential and commercial building surge over the past few years. 

We all have a stake in what happens here over the next few years and therefore we should be participating in a frank dialogue about these and other pressing problems. Most of us came here because of the colonial beauty and the rich cultural heritage of San Miguel de Allende. The city is now at a crossroads and if the community—both Mexican and foreign—is not involved in working together with government officials and civic leaders, decisions will be made without our input.

I am all for planned development, but unless there is meaningful long-term planning, San Miguel may go the way of a lot of US and Mexican cities. As US Consular Agent Ed Clancy said recently: “..on issues that affect the entire community such as how we want San Miguel to look in the future, it is legitimate for all residents to express their views” (Atención, Jan. 5, 2007, p. 19).

David Bossman





Editor,

People who let their dogs run free, as well as those who call Ecology to pick up street dogs, should visit the Ecología compound and view for themselves the situation there.

We already have a sizeable canine family, but when a street dog we had been feeding was nowhere to be found, my wife and I went to look for him, first at the SPA and then at the Ecología facility. There, we had been told, dogs are kept for a few days before they are euthanized.

What we found was a truly horrendous sight. About a dozen dogs, including a small poodle and a nursing mother with puppies, were housed in pens with concrete floors. A few of the unfortunate occupants had collars and tags, which surely means they had owners. There was no food in sight, and the sole water dish contained less than an inch of green, brackish mire. All of the dogs were subdued and seemed to know what was in store for them.

May I suggest that more effort could be made to let these poor creatures have 

a modicum of comfort in their final days? Many of us would be willing to contribute our time or money for this purpose.

Incidentally, there is no indication at the entrance, usually locked, of the hours when one can look for lost pets, and local people whom we asked did not know where the facility is located.

Kenneth Murphy

Editor,

The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of San Miguel de Allende mourns the loss of our devoted member and friend, Charlotte Golden. There will be a memorial service for her at 3pm, Sunday, January 20 in the Quetzal Room, Biblioteca Publica. (Entrance to the Biblioteca will be on Reloj 50A.)



Charlotte not only participated in Fellowship activities but also taught English to university students who received scholarship money from Jovenes Adelante.

I want to take this opportunity to praise the work of the Twenty-Four Hour Association and its secretary, Bonnie Bisnett (044-415-100-3842 or 152-3536). Bonnie notified Charlotte’s family and close friends. She arranged for her dogs to go to the veterinarian who took care of them. 

Charlotte was a fine painter, and there were many of her paintings in the house, so Bonnie changed the locks. She kept in touch with Charlotte’s daughter, Sally Mehalek, had her met at the León airport, giving the driver the new key to Charlotte’s house for Sally’s use.

The Association also takes care of burial or cremation.

I urge all residents who are not members of the association to join promptly. I can remember when a good friend died and no one knew next of kin or other relatives.

It was a nightmare trying to settle her estate.

Marge Zap