Status: 13.12.2023, 07:00 a.m.
By: Gerti Reichl
CommentsPrint Share
Honored by Alfons Besel (back center) were (from left) Florian Hagn, Johann Huber, Balthasar Gaisreiter, Herbert Kozemko, Anna Maria Stark, Christine Zierer, Josef Eibach, Georg Rabl, Johann Schmid, Wolfgang Magath. © Thomas Plettenberg
At the last meeting of the municipal council in the year that is coming to an end, Mayor Alfons Besel awarded deserving personalities with the Silver and Golden Badge of Honour. In the speeches that followed, the mayoral election in February was already a topic.
Gmund – The last municipal council meeting of the year always has a special setting in Gmund. Mayor Alfons Besel (FWG) wears the chain of office, members of the municipal councillors are present and follow the speeches of the head of the town hall and parliamentary group leaders, before celebrating the good cohesion together over food and drink. This time, for the first time, silver and gold badges of honour were awarded to deserving personalities. In 2019, the municipal council had already issued a new statute on honours. Now, delayed due to the Corona years, was the right time to catch up on everything.
The Silver Badge of Honour was awarded to Balthasar Gaisreiter, founder of the archery division at Sportfreunde Gmund-Dürnbach and its head of the division for 22 years. Florian Hagn, a municipal councillor for 20 years and former commander and deputy commander of the Gmund fire brigade, also received the pin and a certificate. Johann Huber, a municipal councillor since 2002 and a long-time member of the Gasse Water Supply Association, the Neureuthers and the hunting cooperative, was honoured, as was Herbert Kozemko, who has a long list of achievements and has been deputy mayor since 2020. For her 16 years as chairwoman of the Gmund Dürnbach adult education centre, Anna Maria Stark finally received applause.
Besel awarded the Golden Badge of Honour to Josef Eibach, a municipal councillor for 24 years and a leader in the Neureuther Trachtenverein for over 50 years. After Wolfgang Magath, who has been the first shooting champion in the Gmund-Dürnbach shooting society for 40 years, Georg Rabl received the award not only for his work on the municipal council since 1996, including as second and third mayor, but also for his numerous honorary positions. Johann Schmid, a municipal councillor since 1997 and SPD chairman since 2000, received the badge of honour for his 30 years of work with the Gmund village musicians, among other things. Christine Zierer, a municipal councillor since 1990, was honoured for her honorary positions with the Sportfreunde and Seegeister as well as for her current commitment as a sports and youth officer.
Speeches at the end of the year in Gmund: mayoral election was already on the agenda
In his speech at the end of the year, which also included a review of completed and started projects, Besel not only continued the honors and expressed a heartfelt "Vergelt's Gott" for all those who contribute to an intact congregational life with their commitment. In the face of terrorist attacks and war, he asked what this was doing to the community. "Peace begins on the doorstep," he appealed, expressing his conviction that he could look to next year with optimism in view of the good prospects for 2024.
Was he referring to the upcoming mayoral election on 25 February, for which he is running as an FWG candidate? Besel did not address the election directly, but CSU spokesman Franz von Preysing appealed in view of "exciting times in the first quarter" to remain objective so that people could look each other in the eye. It was then also the "overall good relationship" at the council table that von Preysing praised. He is pleased "that we have controversial discussions, but that we manage everything well and on a factual level".
FWG spokesman Rabl also announced an "interesting year 2024" and said: "Democracy thrives on the competition of people." He also praised the "open, goal-oriented and honest debates for the benefit of the community".
SPD spokeswoman Barbara von Miller took the opportunity not only to express her gratitude for the cohesion and the distinctive culture of debate, but also to take a clear position with the parliamentary group in terms of the election: "If the old mayor becomes the new one, we would be happy," von Miller announced.
0
Read also
0
After being kicked out of the crossing: Christian Jürgens opens his own restaurant 400 meters away
READ
Reappraisal of a delicate process
READ3
Outdoor bar area at the fishing bistro has become too large: Preysing has to submit a building application
READ
Farmer's son saws off his index finger while making wood
READ
Ready to dispose of? The decline of the MS Bad Wiessee
READ
Fancy a voyage of discovery?
My Area
Speeches at the end of the year in Gmund: Wish for more peaceful years
For the Greens, Laura Wagner completed the list of speakers. She ignored the election and, in view of the honours, thanked all citizens who volunteer, "which is not a matter of course". With her wish for more peaceful years, she probably spoke from the heart of all those present.
By the way: Our Tegernsee newsletter informs you about all the important stories from the Tegernsee Valley. Sign up here.