The evening of March 15th was bitter for Andreas Spörl. He was voted out of mayor after only six years.
Mittelstetten - Nevertheless, he looks back with satisfaction and optimism about his future, including his local political one.
Mr. Spörl, have you recovered from your election defeat?
Of course it was a disappointment in the beginning. But now is the time to make the best of it.
How does it feel to suddenly be a simple councilor?
I can handle it well. A certain burden has fallen off my shoulders and I feel a certain freedom now, also when it comes to the choice of words.
You won't say a word in the future?
I will definitely express my opinion more clearly. The mayors are also entitled to an honest opinion from the council members, even if they are occasionally inconvenient.
Do you see your role as more reserved or more as an advisor?
After my successor advertised strikingly with the slogan “Der Franz, das kann's”, probably the former. However, I believe that with my experience of the past six years, I understand some things better or in more detail than someone who has not noticed the official business. If he values my advice, I will not save.
Has your successor asked you for advice yet?
Yes, with regard to the retrofit contributions for the sewage treatment plant renovation. I should continue. However, it is not yet certain whether I will get this done in time.
How did you find the first session under Franz Ostermeier?
Getting used to. I had to smile a few times, I would have put it differently. But on the whole, he had a good constituent session. It was primarily formalities.
Was your six years a good time for Mittelstetten?
I think the mayor Spörl used the community more than it cost. But the fruits of my work still hang on the tree during the ripening process, so to speak. In the areas for residential building land alone, I see clear advantages that I have brought out for the community. One of the thickest boards was the new town hall building. Housing refugees was a moral obligation.
You have taken on some of these tasks. Her own idea was the business park.
I didn't just speak for myself. I still believe that a community with a solid financial cushion is better off than without. One cannot necessarily expect higher income taxes, and fees cannot be increased at will. What remains is the long-term source of trade tax.
Would you pursue such a project with the same vehemence again?
The commercial area failed because of several points. Maybe it was the size, maybe the location, for one or the other maybe the personal condition because of the landowner. But the wishes of a private person didn't matter. If you get areas that are conveniently located, it doesn't matter who they belong to. And at a reasonable price, I am someone who accesses.
Are you proud of your tenure?
Pride is the wrong word. I am happy with my work. I used and served the community in the best possible way.
A majority of citizens seem to have seen it differently. Why?
You have to ask the citizens. My result has not been under all cannons. Apparently the people of Mittelstetten trust Franz Ostermeier more or feel that they are in better hands with him. But what was ultimately decisive for the Kreuzerl - who knows?
How is your job going now?
I see that I can get my company up and running and look to the future with confidence.
Has the business been dormant all the time?
As a mayor like me, you don't spend 20, but 40 to 50 hours a week in office. There is little room for anything else.
Do you still offer accounting advice for dentists?
Exactly. The future will definitely be positive. I am an optimist.
Are you also an optimist about your political future?
I am and remain a political person. But the time has not yet come to position yourself there. I leave it open to the future.
A comeback attempt is not out of the question?
Not excluded, but unlikely. At least the office of honorary mayor is definitely out of the question. Responsibility, expenditure of time and remuneration are out of proportion. And being Mayor only from Tuesday to Thursday no longer meets the requirements. Althegnenberg has proven that even a small community can afford a full-time mayor.
Would you run again as a full-time employee?
The time to think about it has not yet come.
You have your main residence in Jesenwang. Do you still come to Mittelstetten often?
Nevertheless, I have my second place of residence in Mittelstetten. That is enough to get enough information about what is going on in town. It is not an exile, at the moment there is simply no such property that I would like. But I think the distance is good too. (op)