“I wanted to wake up with it” - Mayor Stefan Korpan in an interview about politics in times of the Corona, finances and wishes

Created: 12/30/2021, 12:02 PM

From: Wolfgang Schörner

Town hall in Penzberg.

© Wolfgang Schörner

Stefan Korpan (CSU) has been the mayor of Penzberg since May 2020.

His first full year in office was overshadowed by the never-ending corona pandemic.

In urban politics, Korpan relies on a moderating style; the mood in the city council has definitely improved significantly.

We talked to him about local politics in Corona times, about the city's financial worries, about new approaches and wishes.

Mr. Korpan, almost two years mayor, almost two years of the corona pandemic, almost two years of crisis mode as mayor.

Is that annoying?

To put it the other way round: Who doesn't annoy Corona?

Yes, it sucks that you can't live freely.

But that's just due to the pandemic.

To what extent does this restrict your day-to-day business?

I don't know anything else yet.

But of course many events have been canceled, and a lot is happening online.

It also restricts operations in the town hall.

Some of the employees work from home, and some of the town hall is only open to a limited extent.

And there is often a lack of personal contact.

Of course, being a mayor also includes things like tapping beer kegs and shaking hands, just being present.

Do you miss that?

Yes, in any case.

It's not about shaking hands, it's about communication.

I am someone who likes to sit with people, talk to them and listen to them.

Also just chatting, as they say in Bavaria.

And when it comes to tapping - I'm obviously looking forward to doing it for the first time.

Mayor Stefan Korpan (CSU).

© Wolfgang Schörner

During the budget consultations, you and the city treasurer painted a gloomy financial picture for the years from 2023 onwards.

At least that was how you had to understand her appeal to the finance committee.

Was that meant seriously: construction freeze on family bathrooms or on residential construction projects?

The city council has put many large projects on the track in the past. We won't have the problem next year, but in 2023, that high costs will be incurred, loans will have to be taken out and paid off in the following years. In addition, in 2023, as of now, we will pay six million euros more district levy. A lot of things come together. It would look better if we didn't have to put the 16.7 million euros that we received more in trade tax this year into a special reserve because of the impending tax refund. In the past one was a bit too reckless. That's why I put the provocative question to the Finance Committee: What should we delete? For example a family bathroom or residential construction projects? I wanted to wake up with it. You saw when it came to savingthat one here, the other there does not want to be deleted, that no land should be sold and no fees should be increased. At the meeting it was decided that the city administration should make a list of suggestions: In my opinion this is the wrong way to go. In public it is then said that the mayor has deleted. The city council that initiated the projects would have to decide how we should finance all of this.who initiated the projects, decide how we should finance all of this.who initiated the projects, decide how we should finance all of this.

One proposal was to sell a block of flats on Birkenstrasse as condominiums.

Is that an option?

Counter-financing is required for construction projects.

The city financed the purchase of Gut Hub 25 years ago, for example through the development of the Kapellenwiese.

So in principle this is an option.

But it is not my request.

Our idea was to create affordable living space for rent.

But that is not decided by me or the city administration, the city council decides.

So it won't be possible in the next few years without a tight belt.

What does that mean for your agenda?

In your year-end speech you talked about developing new ideas.

What do you mean with that?

As a city you have many instruments.

So far, the idea has always been to develop projects on urban plots yourself.

But there are also partners with whom you can conclude urban development contracts and develop projects together.

This can be a cooperative, banks, government housing associations or investors.

You can agree with them, for example, that the procurement law for apartments remains with the city, or part of the use can be determined.

This is how something can come into being.

You don't always have to do everything yourself.

There is also insufficient capacity in the city administration for this.

You immediately think of Karlstrasse 6, the former slaughterhouse that has since been demolished.

I agree.

Or to the Zörnerhaus, the former dairy and the area opposite the train station.

A major investment that is hard to avoid concerns the Mayor Prandl School.

It was said that a general renovation would cost almost 50 million euros.

Is that still to be shouldered?

We had an investigation into what a completely new building and what a general renovation means.

One would cost 60.7 million euros, the other 47.8 million euros.

These are, of course, large sums of money.

But that won't happen all at once.

The investment will extend over several years and several construction phases.

We also expect a very high proportion of funding.

In your year-end speech you spoke of new business settlements in the Nonnenwald.

How is it going?

Good.

We have several applicants for the industrial area.

There would be room for three or four companies.

We are in the final phase of negotiations with one interested party, and we are well on the way with two other companies.

And for the commercial space south of Dr.-Gotthilf-Näher-Straße, we will sound out at the beginning of 2022 and then present companies that fit there to the city council.

The first companies may be able to settle in 2023.

It is also very important to me that we have a good mix of industries and that we are broadly positioned as a city with companies.

Back to the beginning: In summer 2022 there will be another city festival in Penzberg.

That sounds too good to be true.

Which 3Gs would you like for the city festival?

So, I hope that by then we will be ready to not have a 3G restriction in the sense of Corona.

That means, I wish for: hospitality.

Enjoyment, company.