She worked for the city of Wolfratshausen for 35 years: Now the long-time head of the building authority has heralded her retirement.
Wolfratshausen – The last city council meeting in 2020, the Christmas meeting, was the last for Susanne Leonhard that the administrative director attended in an official capacity. The head of the town hall's planning and environment department has retired (we reported). Leonhard, whose career began in the planning department and the local building commission of the city of Munich, worked for the municipality for 35 years. The 59-year-old has been preparing for her retirement. "No," says the native of Bremen in an interview with our newspaper, "I will not suffer from boredom."
In the early years, Leonhard had to contend with prejudice. When she accompanied the then head of the Wolfratshauser building authority, Dieter Lejko (he had lured Leonhard from the state to Loisachstadt), on a visit to the construction site, he was asked: "Greetings, Mr. Lejko, is that your new secretary?" Woman, Leonhard still remembers this very well, back then you were "just a little light" both in the private sector and in the city administration. She didn't let herself be fooled. "In the end, technical expertise pays off," she says with a smile. "I would go exactly the same way again." A good 30 years later, the last of her five employers in Wolfratshausen, Mayor Klaus Heilinglechner, takes off his hat: "She has the knowledge for 2 and worked for 3",stated the head of the town hall in the Christmas meeting of the city council.
One or the other finds out about building law on the Internet.
Sometimes it's amazing what people think, I stress, think they know.
Susanne Leonhard, longtime head of the building authority
Initially deputy Lejkos, from 2018 head of the building authority and as administrative director most recently head of the planning and environment department: "The work was fun," sums up Leonhard, who values the statement that "it was working with a great team". The fact that “everything from building a garden shed to a nuclear power plant can be done through my desk appealed to me and inspired me”. Little by little, however, the demands on the building authority are becoming more and more complex, and the regulations that need to be observed have become stricter and more detailed. The culture of communication between potential builders and the municipality has also changed fundamentally: personal conversations have become rarer – the key word is e-mail. And: "Many builders come to the first appointment with their lawyer." Not to forget:“One or the other finds out about building law on the Internet. Sometimes it's unbelievable what people believe, I stress, believe to know."
"Many projects" have "gone well" in Loisachstadt over the past three decades, says the 59-year-old.
As examples, she cites the creation of the business park on the Loisach and the development of the Angerwiese east of the S-Bahn station.
She can't identify any real building sins in the rafters' town, when it comes to illegal buildings, she differentiates: There are builders who have demonstrably acted out of ignorance.
"But those who intentionally disregard building regulations hurt urban development."
She firmly believes in the S7 extension to Geretsried
Leonhard hopes that the upgrading of the old town that has begun "will be continued consistently". However, there are “more urgent tasks”, including the renovation and expansion of the elementary and middle school on Hammerschmiedweg, which is expected to cost around 45 million euros. A word on the planned S-Bahn extension to Geretsried: "I believe in that, yes!" Because in her opinion, "there is no alternative", no matter how charming the proposal by former city councilor Hans Reiser to build a cable car between the neighboring towns may be .
Of course, the long-standing head of the cycle route concept working group is very concerned about all measures that contribute to further cycle-friendliness in Wolfratshausen: "Protection lanes for cyclists on all main roads - I would have liked to continue this work." But Leonhard wants to gain some distance first, because she doesn't do anything Hide the fact that in the meantime it was "an extreme workload" that she has taken on.
Because saying no, "that's actually often difficult for me".
Hobby author working on second trilogy
This summer, Leonhard and her husband are getting on their bikes: From Flensburg they are going to the Danish capital Copenhagen, which is considered a model city for bicycles worldwide. The two Leonhards want to cover 1500 kilometers. A job that doesn't scare them. "I planned our first bike tour in 1980 with an ADAC general card," the 59-year-old remembers. bike lanes? None! “We planned the tour over country roads. We had a camping stove in our luggage, which we used to warm up our food in bus stops sheltered from the wind.” Incidentally, she and her husband were also able to spark a passion for cycling in their two daughters, who are now grown.
In any case, Leonhard wants to free up time for writing in the future. The amateur author has already written a science fiction short story and the three novels "Dagmar", "Manuela" and "Beate" since 2016. All three romance novels, which focus on women who are over 50 years old, have already had several relationships and are exposed to professional or other constraints. So much can be revealed: there is always a happy ending. Now the restless woman wants to "continue to write another trilogy". In addition, she has received the request to participate in commenting on the Bavarian building regulations. Susanne Leonhard knows what she wants. However, she also knows what she will definitely not do: “Get involved in party politics. That's definitely out of the question for me." (cce)
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