Citizens' meeting in Königsdorf: the head of the town hall gives a cautious outlook on the future

Created: 02/10/2022, 08:40

Sparse participation: The few guests at the Königsdorf town hall meeting were sworn to difficult times.

© Sandra Gerbich

Königsdorf – In autumn, the citizens' assemblies will start again.

Königsdorf is one of the first communities to invite its residents to the school auditorium.

Not even a dozen citizens came.

The rest of the approximately 20 participants represented the municipal council.

An interesting fundamental debate awaited the visitors.

"If you want to know what's going on in Königsdorf, you don't have to attend the municipal council meetings all the time.

Once a year, the citizens' meeting is like a crash course," summarized Marlies Woisetschläger (UBL).

Not even 20 residents came, for a good half a compulsory program because they took part as community representatives.

"I can only conclude that the others are satisfied at the moment," Rainer Kopnicky began his usual factual presentation on statistics, projects, problems and perspectives.

Königsdorf shares some issues with other municipalities, such as the lack of specialist staff in administration and childcare or the efforts made in digitization.

Others, such as the new construction of the gymnasium and lunchtime supervision, as well as the renovation and expansion of the building yard, are special to Königsdorf.

The crane has been turning in the excavation pit of the new gym for a few weeks.

© Sandra Gerbich

Major projects in Königsdorf: gymnasium and construction yard

For a few weeks now, the crane has been turning on the gym construction site on Mooseuracher Strasse at the corner of Sedlmeierstrasse: "After we had to put the works out to tender again because of increased costs, we were able to find other companies who started the construction work on reasonable terms." , said the mayor.

He thinks that the shell will be finished in winter and that the interior work can continue in the spring.

"We will also have to put out new tenders for these trades," says Kopnicky.

He hopes "that prices will fall again."

The second major project concerns the building yard.

The extension in the east should not only offer space for a social room, a service apartment and a shelter for the homeless.

A workshop and a vehicle hall are also under construction.

Completion is scheduled for March 2023.

With construction costs of 1.2 million euros, the refurbishment and expansion of the building yard are on schedule.

© Sandra Gerbich

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This development sounds halfway positive - but the situation in the municipality is serious: Königsdorf is currently transferring 2.4 million euros in the district levy to the district.

And that with increased energy costs, personnel expenses, prices for craftsmen that are going through the roof, stagnating trade tax revenue and ultimately inflation - which was unthinkable just a few years ago.

“The days of unlimited abundance are over for the time being,” agreed guest speaker Klaus Koch.

The third district administrator cannot promise "that there will be relief in the next few years, to put it mildly".

On the contrary.

96 percent of the district's expenses are compulsory, such as "care assistance" or "integration assistance".

Koch can't really think of anything to say: "Yes, does that have to be the case?"

Kopnicky had no idea either.

Deputy Mayor Sebastian Seidl questioned the district's ambitious plans for local public transport.

"I see a screw that could be turned," agreed Kopnicky.

However, a tipping of the plans goes hand in hand with a loss of mobility and a negative CO2 balance, Koch pointed out.

"Wherever you try to save, there is always some negative consequence." Kopnicky nevertheless announced that he would "at least scour Königsdorf's budget for potential savings".

Koch pointed out that spending on older people in particular would continue to rise in the coming years.

At the same time, the pressure on the lower income brackets increases as the influx continues.

"The question arises as to how one can provide affordable housing for lower earning classes such as police officers or nurses?" asked Koch, naming alarming figures: "Today there are 67 nursing places missing in the district, by 2030 there will be 306."

Increasing fees for the water supply in Königsdorf

Other topics were the worrying groundwater levels after the long drought and the bypass of the sewage treatment plant in Schwaighofen.

When it comes to water supply, Kopnicky announced rising basic and consumption fees.

Some restraint is being exercised with regard to the residents' wallets when it comes to road construction.

"With the high inflation and the exorbitant energy costs, we don't want to burden the residents unnecessarily at the moment," emphasized the head of the town hall.

But there was also good news.

In addition to the reports of success in terms of the construction of a new gymnasium and building yard, there is nothing to be said against the planned forest kindergarten near the Hochland youth settlement.

A yurt may also be set up.

And if everything goes well, the first children will be able to attend the forest kindergarten this fall.

The youth club at the school, which starts on October 4th, is also to be revived.