In the end there was a compromise: The Freising City Council discussed the purchase of air purification devices.
There was some perplexity in the debate.
Zolling
- Some emphasized that they were not a scientist, some others admitted they were “groping in the dark”, others admitted not knowing how to vote, and still others were angry and desperate at the same time. The decision-making in the city council as to whether one should purchase air purification devices for schools and day-care centers in municipal sponsorship presented the city councils with a dilemma. In the end, they voted for some kind of compromise.
The administration had plowed through the funding programs of the Free State, information from the Federal Environment Agency, information from the Robert Koch Institute, further news from the Federal Environment Agency as well as other documents, dossiers and expert reports en masse on the subject of air purification devices.
According to Robert Naujokat, Head of the Building Department, they tried to put everything in order - even if there were countless other reports on the meaning, purpose and use of the devices and they were inundated with emails from companies “who know everything better”.
The verification
In addition, all 454 rooms in schools and daycare centers in the city were examined, the ventilation options assessed, the rooms measured, and so on.
The result: only 81 rooms - namely those of the Hofmiller-Gymnasium, where the review has not yet been finally completed - are to be assigned to category 2 (restricted ventilation options), for which the use of mobile air purifiers is "useful" according to the Federal Environment Agency. All other rooms are category 1, for which air purifiers are "not necessary" according to the UBA. In addition, reported department head Karl-Heinz Wimmer, schools and daycare centers reacted “very reserved” to the city’s query. Of course, there is fear that the next wave could lead to a regulation not to have to take alternating lessons where there are such air purification devices. But of course no one could foresee that. Management proposal:Acquire air purification devices for all category 2 rooms (i.e. the JoHo). Costs: 380,000 euros less 140,000 euros in grants, plus 60,000 euros in maintenance costs for three years.
The discussion
So there they were, the 34 city councilors and Mayor Tobias Eschenbacher - none of them aerosol and flow experts, felt left alone by the state government, missed clear recommendations from the ministries and therefore found it difficult to make a decision.
School clerk Monika Riesch (FSM) said, “We are all groping in the dark”, found the administration's proposal balanced and a reasonable middle ground.
Susanne Günther (Greens) found it “incredibly difficult” to make an informed decision, Jens Barschdorf (FDP) was “divided”, Peter Warlimont (SPD) “dryly angry” because it was “incredible” that the state government was the subject "Falls at our feet and we now stand there and are perplexed"
Rudolf Schwaiger (CSU) also had no final expertise at hand, but was certain of one thing: "It won't do any harm."
Andreas Mehltretter (SPD) was even more optimistic: “You are helping!” It was Schwaiger who applied to equip all 454 rooms in schools and daycare centers with air purification devices, which would have meant investment costs of two million euros.
“It is in the interests of the children to“ make the purchase as far as possible ”and prevent a race should the legislature ever prescribe such devices.
Mehltretter supported the motion, but it did not receive a majority with 7:28 votes.
Just as little as Jens Barschdorf's, who would have equipped all 304 rooms in the city schools with air purification devices (around 1.3 million euros).
His motion also fell through with 7:28 votes.
The decision
The administration's proposal was accepted with 33: 2 votes, Robert Weller and Johanna Hiergeist (both FW) voted against it.
Theoretically, of course, a detailed examination of the JoHo rooms could show that they also belong to category 1.
"It is not even clear whether we need any at all," the mayor had therefore interjected during the long discussion.
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