Pavones Votes to Create Development Association Led by Business People, Activists

We did it – 170 Pavones residents including Costa Rican citizens and expat landowners voted to successfully create the Pavones Development Association, which means our small Costa Rica town now has a direct voice in programs to develop jobs and infrastructure.

Gerardo Mendoza Barantes
Vela Miles

Gerardo Mendoza Barantes won a very close vote over his friend Vela Miles to win the Presidency of the Association. Gerardo’s 56 votes won over Vela’s 53 votes, and also over Miriam Lobo, the 3rd lead candidate.

Gerardo Mendoza Barantes (above) is now President, and Vela Miles (right) is Vice President.  Other elected officers comprise Arelis Rojas, Treasurer; Susanne Mesen Madrigal is Secretary and the 3 Vocales are Miriam Lobo, Juan Jimenez and Pedro Caballero.

The Association is led by business owners and operators with long experience in community activism.
For example, Gerardo owns a restaurant, Vela works in a real estate office and has also managed cabinas, Susanne runs Clear River Adventures, and Arelis’ family operates the local supermarket.

The meeting itself was a balanced mix of local residents, and unlike political elections, one did not need Costa Rican citizenship to vote, so local residents born on foreign shores (expat gringos, and that’s not a derogative term here) were able to vote.

The meeting started around 2:30 in the afternoon, and it took more than an hour for everyone to sign in to register to vote. Representatives of the Costa Rican government were at the meeting to explain the voting rules to the assembled audience. Each person received a stack of teeny tiny ballot slips to vote for the positions on the association.

First, the president was elect4ed in a confidential vote.  Then, the vice president elected in another confidential vote. And so it proceeded. The meeting went until after dark.

Coming soon: What’s in store for the Asociacion de Desarollo de Pavones.

Related articles:

• April 2nd Vote Planned to Form a Development Association for Pavones' Infrastructure