"It's not the time to jump"

It was a surprise that, despite three competitors, he won an absolute majority of 50.8 percent of the vote in the first ballot. In an interview with courier editor Christoph Schnitzer, the designated Mayor of Tölz Ingo Mehner (CSU) spoke about his top result, the deputy decision, the Bichler Hof issue and how to deal with defeats.

Bad Tölz - A few days ago, the probably last meeting of the Tölz City Council was during this term of office: You must have had a lot going through your head?

It was bizarre and strange. Everyone believes that you are already a mayor. But it is not yet. The session was actually extremely important with the budget item. I actually would have had some ideas. But with Corona, the household has become a formality.

Who is your employer and how does the transition phase work?

This is still the "LV 1871", ie the "life insurance from 1871" in Munich. I am a leading lawyer in the real estate department. I approached my employer last year. He supported me a lot, for which I am grateful. So you had time to search for your successor. He is, that's very topical, already found. I will stop on April 30th and start as Mayor in Tölz on May 1st.

What if you were voted out in six years? Can you go back?

Then I can send an application letter and hope to be taken. But there is no return clause. If my current position is filled, it is filled.

Be honest: When did you first think that you wanted to be Mayor of Tölz?

There wasn't a day when the decision was made. But it has been an issue since I was on the city council - I was asked about it often enough.

To what extent are you involved in the work processes in the town hall?

I still have to continue working in my old job and can't say: I'll be gone then. I am in contact with the town hall every day and I coordinate with the heads of units. I don't get as much as the mayor, but I'm pretty well involved. It is also important. There may not be a long induction phase on May 1st.

How is it going with Mr. Janker?

With regard to familiarization, information and knowledge transfer, I get everything I need. But Mr. Janker has his style and method, I mean, and he remains mayor until April 30th. So I don't have a 30 percent vote now and I'm not a part-time mayor.

Their result with 7329 votes was historically high. Can you rate it with a little distance?

From an emotional point of view, I would say I'm still overwhelmed and happy. I couldn't expect that. But when I think of Corona and what it means for many, there is no euphoria. This is not the time for emotional leaps in the air.

"Citizens should now feel significantly more represented"

Take a look at the new city council: What do you think?

I don't know everyone personally yet. But the individual councils are clearly different, and they will bring different impulses. I mean that without any value. For my list, I made sure that the applicants depict as different realities of life as possible. We don't have old or young, but both. Even for women. We also need this range. The citizen should feel significantly more represented.

That could also mean more potential for conflict. In the old city council, after the Bichler-Hof citizens' decision, things were pretty tough among the factions.

I have not seen the camp limits like this over the six years. There was a Bichler Hof. After that we had a hardening that didn't help anyone. You have to work to prevent this from happening. Sometimes there are political victories, sometimes a defeat.

On the subject of defeat: Mr. Janker has experienced a 1:24 swatter in votes and put it away with a smile. Can you deal with defeats?

I think I'm even strong at it. I learned that from an early age in sports. There were years in biathlon when I didn't run on the podium. I just had to put up with it. I am even convinced that learning from criticism and defeat is one of my strengths. I have to be careful not to exercise too much self-criticism and to question myself too much.

Can I go back to the Bichler Hof? Wasn't it a capital mistake on the part of the city not to acquire this area yourself? Especially at a ridiculously low price. This would have provided storage space for many years to come.

I still judge the hotel project at Bichler Hof differently than you. It would have been positive for Toelz. Regarding land purchase: I don't want to talk cleverly in retrospect. But with the current knowledge I would probably try to acquire the reason. The area of ​​storage is extremely important. The city of Tölz itself has little reason. A forward-looking policy will require you to access when you get space.

You just said that there should be no hardening in the city council. The subject of second mayor will be a first touchstone. The Greens are the second largest faction. Do you already have an opinion?

There were many shouts and ideas were leaked to me. But I still don't know who is running. First of all I have to know who wants to be. Besides, this is not a mayor wish what game. That is decided by the city council. Let's see who the councilors tend to be. Christof Botzenhart is the one who has done an excellent job in the past six years. He had many own ideas and set impulses. I want him to continue as another mayor.

What role does your wife Stephanie play?

A central one for me. She knows me very well and can judge me. It will also be a political advisor. But I will not discuss the closed session with the spouse. My wife is not a city councilor nor a spin doctor.

The topics of living, environment and cycling are very important for the Tölzers

Was or is there a spin doctor, in the broadest sense an advisor?

Spin doctor is more of a negative term. Thank God I have a team around me with which I can exchange ideas extremely well. In addition my wife comes. Benedikt Fuhrmann played a very important role in the election campaign. Usually you are looking for an advertising agency as a candidate for mayor. With him I found someone with whom I could develop the topic of communication with the citizen on all channels. I found the discussions with Benedikt Fuhrmann extremely fruitful. He was never concerned with the election campaign, but always looked beyond: How can you involve exciting people in future work?

Will Fuhrmann continue to play a role?

In any case as a friend and conversation partner. To what extent it is formally integrated again has to be seen.

Will there be a major change of course on any point?

I do not think so. During the door-to-door conversations, I noticed that the topics of living, the environment and cycling are very important. And for me personally, communication with the citizen will play a major role. In the six weeks leading up to the handover, I actually wanted to hold talks with a wide range of people, which I find exciting to get other development impulses. Corona sparked me in there now. I talk a lot on the phone, but it's not the same thing.

Take a look back in time to Corona!

Germany will experience an economic slump. The city will not be able to pour out the money with the watering can to save the factories. But economic development and the promotion of regionalism will certainly play a huge role. The platform "Our Tölz" was a good start. You have to strengthen the domestic economy. I cannot present an extension program now because that would mean shooting at moving targets. We now have to see whether the exit restrictions will be maintained after April 19.

Also read:

Exit restrictions due to Corona: City of Bad Tölz intensifies controls