Local information via app on your mobile phone

The municipality of Buch wants to introduce the citizen app "Heimat-Info". In Forstern they are still waiting.

Buch am Buchrain/Forstern – The municipality of Buch is becoming digital and mobile. Just like VG partner Pastetten, the Bucher municipal council has unanimously decided to introduce the citizen app "Heimat-Info". However, this is not intended to replace the printed newsletter – at least in the medium term. Forstern is still considering whether to jump on this bandwagon as well.

The operator of the app is Komdigital UG from Laaber (Regensburg district). As recently in Pastetten, founder and managing director Martin Schmidmeier was now digitally connected to Buch to explain the medium. According to him, "Heimat-Info" is an app "in which the citizen has everything that is relevant to him" – from messages from the town hall to information from associations. Martin Dondl (WG) asked about the calendar of events on the municipality's homepage, which currently contains no current entries. Schmidmeier explained that the app can be linked to the municipal website and that clubs can enter their appointments themselves.

Also in response to Dondl's question, Felix Holzner, head of the building authority, replied that the app would make the administration's work some easier.

There was a need for discussion when Holzner said that the program is intended to replace the printed newsletter in the long term because the costs are lower. Deputy Mayor Josef Auer (WG) suggested that a few months after the introduction of the app, citizens should be asked for whom the electronic information is sufficient. Then, in the medium term, a third of the print run could possibly be saved. Auer recalled that the digital provision of information was already mentioned in the community development concept that is currently being developed. "The app is now a contemporary, modern means of communication."

There was also only positive feedback from the committee. "This is money well invested," said Martin Kern (SPD): "The homepage or an app are figureheads of the municipality." "It's impressive what the app can do," said Robert Ulzhöfer (SPD) and asked about advertisements. The owner categorically excluded this. The "Heimat-Info" app is financed exclusively by the municipality, and can be used free of charge by citizens. With the decision of the committee, the one-time set-up fee of 497 euros and the monthly costs (119 euros) were approved. The minimum term is three years.

A community app is also of interest to the neighbors in Forstern. Erwin Nominacher (SPD) wanted to know in the municipal council: "Would that also be something for us?" Mayor Rainer Streu (AWG) explained that 5000,<> euros had been set aside in the budget for such an offer. Some time ago, they also spoke with two companies. "But we're still torn as to whether that's really such a big advantage," Streu admitted.

First of all, they want to enable so-called push notifications via the community homepage. In principle, however, Streu said, such offers would be quite interesting in the future "as a replacement for the classic official journal".

While Pastetten and now also Buch have spoken out in favour of the "Heimat-Info" app, there are many providers on the market, says Streu. He himself has downloaded several to try out, "and it stands and falls with someone in the administration who supervises it". He highlighted the neighbouring municipality of Markt Schwaben as a positive example, "you get notifications all the time", but there is also a complete position there just for public relations. In addition, Markt Schwaben has the advantage that the app comes from the same provider that also maintains its website. "So if an announcement is posted on the homepage, it immediately goes to the app." The Forsterner Host does not offer this.

Ultimately, according to Streu, a well-maintained app means a lot of effort for relatively few users – in Markt Schwaben, for example, around 14 out of 000,800 inhabitants have the application on their smartphones. Streu suggested waiting for the experiences from pastettes and books.

Thorsten Scharmatinat (Greens), meanwhile, insisted on making sure that the content on the homepage is up-to-date and easy to read on mobile devices before purchasing an app.