The Wartenberg media center is an institution in the market community, last year the facility celebrated its 20th birthday.
The celebratory mood seems to have vanished in the meantime, at least when you look at the fact that the library has once again become a political bone of contention in the market town council.
As is well known, a matter that has been dragging on for decades.
Wartenberg – The background is the tense financial situation, which is why it is now in the room that one could save money if one would only hire volunteers instead of marginal employees in the future.
Of course, this is only about new hires, existing employees are not affected.
After a heated debate, the body was ultimately far from a fundamental decision.
"It is to be expected that the next personnel change is planned for 2023.
From this point on, the employees should only be employed as volunteers," writes the administration in the table template.
One person will retire at the end of 2023.
With a view to library closures, job cuts or financial difficulties in municipalities, “this topic should also be dealt with accordingly in the Wartenberg market.
Cultural and social institutions have to deal with cuts in their funds, the use of honorary sponsors promises a small way out here”.
Nine people including the cleaning staff are employed in the media center, five of them marginally and four part-time.
The employer's expense per month, including the annual performance bonus, is around 10,600 euros.
A volunteer works twelve hours a month for 70 euros in compensation.
As the town hall calculates, paying the volunteer fee of 840 euros per year makes an hourly wage of 5.80 euros - significantly less than the minimum wage, which is twelve euros.
As Mayor Christian Pröbst (CSU) recalled, the idea came up in the finance committee "because we have to deal better with the deficit".
He reported an explosion in electricity costs of 860 percent, i.e. eight and a half times.
That means 400,000 euros more.
Gas costs would also increase, although not by this magnitude.
And the administrative budget is sewn to the brim.
"The goal must be to preserve the media center," emphasized Pröbst.
Michael Paulini (SPD) said "that's not a good idea" and made a counter calculation.
From this he concluded: “We would need a significantly higher number of employees, which is the wrong way for me.
So we continue to dry out our media center.
We used to have 25 hours of rental time, now we're down to 17."
Of course, in good times everything could have gone on as before, said Pröbst.
But that's not the case at the moment.
"Perhaps three days are long enough to borrow, you can return them via the closet every seven days." Perhaps you could soon save on staff by borrowing books via bar or QR code.
Josef Sedlmaier (CSU) had two suggestions: set up a kind of support association like at the school or increase the fees.
“We are very, very, very cheap.
Maybe we could talk to the Wartenbergers.”
Paul Neumeier (FWG) emphasized: "The media center is an important facility, but I also understand the community." He didn't think much of the volunteer fee, Neumeier pleaded for minimum wage.
“You have to be able to make a living from your work.
What can you do today with 5.70 euros?”
Eduard Ertl (Neue Mitte) and Martin Hamberger (CSU), on the other hand, emphasized: "You do voluntary work because you like doing it." euros per year.” Of course, they still want professional management.
She is Ulla Zehtner, who followed the discussion as a listener.
In an interview with our newspaper, she said: "Of course there were more critical voices, but it's a municipal council.
But overall it sounded positive.
I had the feeling that the media center was recognized as important." The municipality must save, "and we try to make our contribution".
According to Pröbst, the VG neighbors from Berglern and Langenpreising do not want to participate financially.
15 percent of the borrowers come from there.
"As a market, we already have an obligation," stressed Isabell Haindl (CSU).
It is difficult for you to decide to hire all new people on a voluntary basis.
Dominik Rutz (Greens) saw it similarly: "It is important not to limit performance and service." He also wanted to get the opinion of manager Zehtner.
And also the opinion of the citizens, as demanded by his parliamentary colleague Martina Scheyhing.
She was in favor of marginal employment.
And Melanie Falzetta, also Green, emphasized that she would have voted against it.
An educational institution is “the be-all and end-all”.
Nowadays it is not easy to find people for 5.70 euros.
For Heike Kronseder (FWG), “the alarm bells were ringing.
A conversion would simply not do the media library any good”.
Especially since social components such as protection against dismissal or insurance in the event of illness were omitted from the voluntary service flat rate.
"That would definitely not be the right way," warned Michael Gruber (SPD).
"It's a pity that it's already being presented in this form." The outcome is open.
