Jan Göhzold has been mayor of the municipality of Wackersberg since 2020. © arp/A
Jan Göhzold has been the mayor of Wackersberg for three years. In this interview, he talks about his harsh baptism of fire. Over the next three years, the focus will be on the construction of the new building yard and childcare.
Wackersberg – It's half-time in the municipal councils: three years since the 2020 local elections are now behind the mayors and councillors, three years ahead of them. For the head of the Wackersberg town hall, Jan Göhzold, it is his first term in office. Time to take stock.
Mr. Göhzold, your first term of office is now halfway over. What are your thoughts on the interim balance?
I haven't even asked myself the question yet. I hope that the work in the municipal council will continue as pleasantly as before and that we will be able to cope well with the upcoming projects.
Jan Göhzold: "Productive work and good cooperation"
In other words, you are satisfied with the working atmosphere and mood on the committee?
Absolute. It is productive work and good cooperation – also between the electoral communities. There was never any camp formation or hostility.
Do you see an advantage in the fact that there are only the electoral communities of Wackersberg-Arzbach and Oberfischbach in the municipal council and no political parties?
In principle, there is nothing to say against parties. And if, for example, someone is green, they can also express this opinion on issues that affect us. Otherwise, federal party thinking has no place in a small local council. I am very glad that we do not have any problems here and that we always discuss and decide on the merits.
In the Wackersberg municipal council, most decisions are made unanimously, there are rarely heated discussions...
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My Area
That's right. And I'm happy about that. We have many building matters and building applications. It is helpful that our building committee works top and precise and that most of the applications in the municipal council meeting no longer offer much material for discussion.
So there is no point where you see any potential for improvement in terms of the work in the committee?
No. I hope that we will be able to continue working on the upcoming projects in such a collegial and objective manner over the next three years.
Focus on childcare and building yards
What major projects are on the horizon by 2026?
First and foremost, we need to work on the care situation. A joint lunchtime care with kindergarten and a crèche group is being planned. This is to take the form of a new building near the primary school in Höfen. However, the municipality is still in land negotiations in this regard. The second major community building project that will accompany us is the new construction of the building yard at the Steinsäge. We are currently in the planning stage for this.
Before you became mayor in May 2020, you worked in the municipality as treasurer and manager. Has your life changed much since then?
Yes. The work as mayor is much more. I have a greater responsibility for this. But my everyday life is also more diverse, and I gain insight into a wide variety of topics. I used to be very fixated on numbers. In my private life, since I've been mayor, I've been approached by people much more often.
Does that bother you?
Actually, no. But it depends on how and in what context. Most of the time it's really nice, and I like to talk to all citizens. But I don't want to justify myself at the supermarket checkout for municipal council resolutions or discuss building applications.
Corona and Ukraine war as major challenges
Did you imagine being mayor differently?
No. But of course I didn't expect the Corona pandemic in this form, nor the war in Ukraine and its effects. Both have presented me with immense challenges both privately and as mayor. After all, I'm also a father of two children who were at home during the lockdown, had a house building going on at the same time and was just mayor.
That was a hard baptism of fire. If you had known all this beforehand, would you not have stood for election?
(laughs) This is already very hypothetical. But no. I would have made the same decision anyway.
Jan Göhzold: Asylum issues lead to tensions between municipalities
And what challenges are you still struggling with today?
With the effects of the war in Ukraine. On the one hand, on all construction issues with supply bottlenecks and the like. And on the other hand, there is the issue of asylum, which unfortunately continues to cause strong tensions between the municipalities here. But this issue would have to be solved at the federal level. Otherwise, I think that we as a community are doing our part in terms of reception and space capacities for refugees. The big cities and some municipalities are doing a lot here. It would be nice if all the small communities did their homework in this regard.
Will you run again as a candidate for mayor in the next election?
I can't say anything about that yet. Family comes first for me, and they have had to take a back seat in recent years. I'll have to see how everything develops between now and the next local election.
You can find even more up-to-date news from the region at Merkur.de/Bad Tölz.
