Munnerstadt: one step closer to demolition
"We waited a little longer", says mayor helmut blank. The deadline for appeals had already expired on whitsun monday. Until then, the signatories of the citizens’ petition "preservation of the indoor swimming pool – swimming instead of demolition could file a complaint with the administrative court of wurzburg against the majority decision of the munnerstadt city council, after the citizens’ petition is inadmissible.
This did not happen. "We have been able to change the city council’s decision of 20. May awarded the required preparatory studies", according to the city council. These are necessary for the demolition of the indoor swimming pool. The contract was awarded on friday.
Three years ago, the baths were supposed to be torn down, but this was prevented by the first citizens’ petition. The majority of munnerstadter wanted a comparison between the demolition costs and the costs of redevelopment. "In the meantime, the legal requirements with regard to pollutants have become much more stringent, so that we have additional expenses in order to be able to demolish the indoor swimming pool." The mayor sees it like this: "the longer we wait, the more expensive the demolition will be for the burghers."
Now employees of an institute will examine the pollutant loads, the results must be considered with the demolition. Then the work will be put out to tender, the city council will evaluate the results and award the demolition contract. Helmut blank gives figures: "each citizen petition costs the city about 25,000 euros." He estimates the cost of the rongen survey (comparison of renovation and demolition) at 50,000 euros. The expert opinion of dag schroder confirmed this 100 percent, says helmut blank.
"What self-appointed experts think and say is not relevant for us, because we have to stick to the commissioned and paid expert opinions." The "self-appointed experts hours in no liability, says the mayor. The third cost he mentions is the administrative expenses, which he estimates at 30,000 to 35,000 euros. "And important tasks remain unfinished", he emphasizes.
"Only with protective clothing
Actually, according to the head of the city, he could send the employees of the building yard to the indoor swimming pool again with the expiry of the objection period in order to prepare the demolition. But he won’t do that: "the experts called in by the city of munnerstadt have strongly advised me not to allow any work to be carried out in the indoor swimming pool." Due to the structural condition, only specialists with appropriate protective clothing were able to work there.
Of course, the city administration is aware that the members of the association "burgerbad munnerstadt" have again signed the petition for the preservation of the indoor swimming pool – swimming instead of demolition with a different reason, because last time it led to the declaration of inadmissibility. The mayor assumes that he will receive the signature lists in the foreseeable future. As soon as the city council then declares the admissibility, nothing more may be done that is contrary to the goals of the request. However, this does not affect the commissioned investigations into the pollutant load.
"We are collecting diligently", says the chairman of the association burgerbad munnerstadt, wolfgang blumlein, on inquiry of our newspaper. As soon as the necessary signatures are available, they will be handed over to the city. Wolfgang blumlein confirms that the signatories of the petition have not filed a complaint against the city council resolution. Instead, they chose the other possible option long before the deadline for objections passed and are now collecting signatures again.
