The plots in the grounds of the Erding allotment gardeners' association at the Volksfestplatz are in great demand, especially in times of a pandemic.
The waiting time is a few years.
Erding - New elections and an increase in contributions were the focus of the annual general meeting of the allotment gardeners' association in Erding in the Blumenhof.
After more than two years of a forced Corona break, the members came together again for the first time.
Chairman Bernd Grabert, who, like the entire management team, was confirmed in office by the 56 members present, opened the meeting with a review of the past two and a half years.
While 2019 was a normal, successful year with many events, Corona 2020 threw everything upside down, he explained.
Because of the contact restrictions, gardeners were only allowed to meet in small groups, which is why handing out the equipment has become a mammoth task.
The proposal to hold the general meeting via video link had to be rejected because "90 out of 250 members have no e-mail".
Grabert reported a flood of applications.
In the past two years, the association has received almost 100 requests for a garden plot.
"In Corona times, nobody has and will give up their garden," said Grabert.
Because: The conversations with other members about the garden fence and the time spent gardening would have helped many a lot to “get through the difficult times”.
Since April 2020, the association has stopped accepting applications.
If he hadn't imposed this freeze on admissions, "the waiting time for a garden would have been ten to twelve years," says Grabert.
At the moment you have to wait three to four years.
The facility includes 214 plots.
The agenda also included the presentation of future projects.
We have been in contact with the water management office since autumn 2020 to adapt the flood protection concept.
If the Fehlbach flooded, 35 to 40 gardens in the complex would be under water.
The containment of the Sempt and the Fehlbach is currently the most likely measure, according to Grabert.
In addition, the gravel paths around the plant are to be renewed.
Mayor Max Gotz, who attended the meeting, promised a subsidy from the city for the path connections.
Grabert looks forward to the redesign of the roundabout with great anticipation.
"You can hardly believe it, but it's finally starting." The day of the garden should be 11./12.
take place in June.
The cash report was presented by the 2nd treasurer Manfred Kempke.
He reported a minus of 11,850 euros for the past year.
Due to frost damage in April 2021, 80 defective water meters had to be replaced, which meant repair costs of almost 3500 euros.
Kempke appealed to the garden owners to pay more attention to draining the water when the temperature is below zero in the future.
According to him, there are still 39,000 euros in the savings account.
The money can be seen as a hidden reserve.
The total cash balance at the end of the year was 53,000 euros.
Nothing changed in the new elections.
Chairman Grabert will continue to be supported by his deputy Dieter Kaiser.
Marita Penninger and Manfred Kempke were confirmed as cashiers.
Carina Otto remains secretary.
Dagmar Kempke will continue to support her.
Josef Hernicht takes over the post of assessor.
At the end, a vote was taken to increase the membership fee from 43 to 50 euros.
Grabert justified this with the costs for the roundabout and the renewal of the gravel path.
In addition, a water slide had to be replaced a few weeks ago, "which will be the case more and more often with the old water pipe," explained the chairman.
According to him, this work cannot be done by the association's own water wardens.
"We don't want to pollute the drinking water with our work," explained Grabert.
He expects costs of around 200,000 euros in the next few years.
The result of the vote was clear.
Only five members voted against the contribution increase from 2023. “If someone has difficulties on the first of the year, we will collect the money twice,” assured Grabert.
Prior to the vote, a membership application that had proposed tiering of dues based on income was rejected by the board.
