The Gröbmaier era came to an end after twelve years, and the mayor no longer ran. We spoke to her about the ups and downs of her tenure.
Ms. Gröbmaier, are you bored after the first few days of retirement?
(Laughs) I'm feeling pretty busy. My husband said he would leave the household swept clean, but you know that. I used the rainy days to tidy up and rearrange myself, straightened my raised bed and looked after the grandchildren. They live with us on our Einödhof, so it doesn't get boring so quickly.
Don't you miss the town hall?
What I miss is the good cooperation in the administration and the many constructive discussions when it came to getting the best out of the community. I always felt supported by the administration and felt a lot of loyalty. I am very grateful for that, and I will live on it for a long time.
How has the community changed in the twelve years since you were in office?
In the first few years the view prevailed in the town council: We are such a small community, there is no need for investing, everything is happening on the side. But even a small community needs income, clear structures and a functioning administrative system. I have seen a wide range of misunderstandings and some struggles. But in the end, reason prevailed. In the end, we have achieved a lot. Some things have developed even more positively than expected - for example, trade tax revenues and the development of jobs.
What performance are you particularly proud of?
It makes me proud to see how well the community is doing today. We have brought the community's infrastructure to a good level, filled the reserves and reduced the debt. I am particularly proud of individual projects: for example, the care flat share, but also the Edeka and the commercial area in Ascholding.
Are there any things you regret?
I would have liked to take more care of environmental and nature conservation projects. I would also have liked to have had more time for honors for special services, especially in the social and cultural field. But I don't really regret anything. You always have to see the circumstances at the time when something didn't work. Most of the time, you couldn't have decided otherwise.
Dietramszell hit the headlines in 2014 because the local council did not want to officially distance itself from honorary citizenships of the "Third Reich". Should you have acted differently in retrospect?
If I had known how the vote would turn out, I would have adjourned it and talked to people again. But the proposed resolution was so harmless and went through it easily in other communities beforehand. For me it was inconceivable that there could be discussions. It wasn't about condemning anything or denying honorary citizenships. They had gone out with death anyway. That's why I don't blame myself. But what triggered it all was a very cruel situation for me. And as mayor I had to pay for it. I really don't want to wish that to anyone. In retrospect, however, the positive aspects of my mayorhood predominate.
Which projects would you like to finish?
We have launched a lot of things that we can no longer officially close and inaugurate. For example, the conversion of the old kindergarten in Ascholding and the old school in Linden into living space, the new construction of the kindergarten in Ascholding and Linden or the flood protection in Bairawies. The village renewal in Dietramszell with the renovation of the transit will also take a while. And I would have liked to see the school renovation finish in 2019 as planned. This was not possible due to fire protection problems and other adverse circumstances.
What tip would you give your successor Josef Hauser?
Above all, my advice would be to see that he finds a common thread for his term in office. It is important to look into the future in order to exploit all the possibilities of the community in a positive way. You always have to see the big picture. It's not just about economic investment, it's also about things like building culture, so that the villages keep their beautiful faces, the cohesion among the population and social aspects.
And how are you doing now privately? What do you do with all of the sudden free time?
I am still involved in an eco-social working group, in a soil group and as a private individual in the EU building culture project that we have launched. I also have 1000 cooking recipes I want to try and 1000 books I want to read.
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