A conviction of 243 million for the property, which the Municipality managed to lower to 96, revealed an unpaid expropriation and ten years of occupation without legal support
A few days ago, Mayor Fernando Rambaldi reported that La Calera was very close to losing Icardi Park. Under an agreement between Rodrigo Rufeil's management and Jorge Lago's CONYDE S.A. company, it was planned to hand over to this businessman part of the land that María Van Gael de Stoecklin donated from charge to the city so that a sports space could operate there. Giving them away went against the donor's will and could cause the city to lose the entire park
.
Today, this private individual is demanding payment for work done in the park in 2015. No one explains why he was never paid, nor why it was only now, more than ten years later, that he brought the claim to justice
.
But Icardi Park wasn't the only case. La Calera was also on the verge of losing Club Sportivo, one of the most traditional venues in the city
. In 2012, during Rodrigo Rufeil's administration, the City expropriated the club. A year later, in 2013, the expropriation was not paid and the municipality rescinded it.
Club Sportivo: an unpaid expropriation and a risky judicial defense
In 2012, during Rodrigo Rufeil's administration, the City expropriated the club. A year later, in 2013, the expropriation was not paid and the municipality rescinded it.
However, the City continued to use the club. He did it for ten years without paying rent, without lending and without signing any legal instrument. He occupied a property that was not his own and did not pay its owners
.
In 2023, the owners of the club, the San Martín General Mutual Association, initiated a lawsuit for the Municipality to return the property to them.
Facundo Rufeil's management legal counsel, led by Dr. Fiorini, chose a risky defense. He maintained that, for the years that the municipality had occupied the club, the property already belonged to him. Thus, the trial stopped being about the rents that had not been paid and became about who owned the club
. Today, Club Sportivo is one of the busiest places in La Calera.
Conviction of 243 million and a cause that no one reported
That change came at an enormous cost. Justice ruled against the Municipality and, as the trial disputed the ownership of the property, the amounts were calculated based on its value. The club is a large property in the center of the city and therefore has a million-dollar value. Result: Not only could La Calera lose the club, but she was also ordered to pay 243 million pesos
.
To get an idea, those 243 million from mid-2023, updated for inflation (INDEC), are now equivalent to more than 1.6 billion pesos.
During the transition, when Fernando Rambaldi won the mayor's office, Dr. Fiorini was asked to report all the legal cases in which the Municipality participated. That report never arrived.
For this reason, the new administration learned about the case only in April 2024, a few months after taking office, when it was notified of the judgment for 243 million pesos.
Agreement with Mutual San Martín: savings of almost 150 million
.
With a ruling already against and a cause mishandled from the beginning, there was no way to win the trial. The Rambaldi administration, through the new legal advisor, Dr. Agustín Anglada, then negotiated a reduction in fees. The agreement left the payment at 96 million pesos. The city thus saved almost 150 million pesos
.
In addition, the municipality closed a rental agreement with the San Martín General Mutual Association. The Municipality pays a rent of 6 million pesos per month, and in return all the club's sports activities can continue to operate
. La Calera was also on the verge of losing Club Sportivo, one of the most traditional venues in the city.
A club full of life: improvements and activities at Club Sportivo
Today, Club Sportivo is one of the busiest places in La Calera. They play basketball, newcom, veteran soccer, karate, skating, zumba and folklore, among other disciplines
.
Since taking office, Rambaldi's management has improved and accompanied the club: he illuminated the entire building; he renovated the electrical installation to make it safe; he illuminated and improved the beach volleyball court and the soccer field; he gave La Calera Basket a stand at the National Lomito Festival to help him pay for the new parquet floor, and he supported the different disciplines for travel and activities with money. Meanwhile, those who play sports at the club are only charged a symbolic amount of 5,000 pesos per person
.
Just as Icardi Park was about to be lost, La Calera was also about to lose Club Sportivo. In both cases, everyone's assets were at risk as a result of previous management decisions
.
Thanks to the management of Mayor Fernando Rambaldi and the rent of 6 million pesos per month paid by the Municipality, thousands of Calerenses have a place every month to play sports, find themselves and take care of their health.
