Coswig –
An e-mail from the district administrator caused displeasure at the last meeting of the Coswig city council. Although the district is responsible for the rescue service, the district administrator called on the city of Coswig to check whether they could finance the establishment of the necessary new rescue station in Cobbelsdorf with a loan. The mayor and the city council were incomprehensible and angry.
Long term solution
The starting point was an appraisal from the district, which stated that rescue workers in Coswig cannot reach all locations in the prescribed time. It is therefore necessary to set up another rescue station in the Cobbelsdorf / Köselitz area.
This would normally have had to be rebuilt by the district itself for one to two million euros. Since there is already a property in Cobbelsdorf with the village community center that could be renovated for less money, the city of Coswig suggested that the district assume the costs, which were initially estimated at 70,000 euros. In order to repay them, the district could then have rented the property as a location for the rescue station on a long-term basis.
Both sides would have benefited from this proposal, emphasized Mayor Axel Clauss (non-party) in the city council. The village community center could have been repaired and revitalized and the ambulance station in this area could have “reached the people more quickly”. The district was also “not angry” about the proposal, as it saved him millions in costs.
So “in consultation with the district plans were initiated”, although it turned out that “special requirements” had doubled the renovation costs to around 140,000 euros – a sum that Coswig could not afford. Especially not for a task “that is not a compulsory task for the city”.
Axel Clauss explained that he had communicated this to the district and asked them to find a “creative solution” together. He then received the said email. “The Wittenberg district confirmed five weeks ago that we are not allowed to take out loans to build daycare centers. Now it is imperative to check whether the city takes out a loan for a task that it does not even have. And the district administrator of the Wittenberg district is currently advising on how to deal with the surpluses of the district budget.
The district of Wittenberg has a reserve of 16 million euros. This is where not only my understanding but also my tolerance ends, ”said the mayor. “Anyone who grabs their heads when the authorities don’t cooperate, I can only say, yes, you are right. That is an approach that is unacceptable. ”Under these circumstances, the city of Coswig could no longer support the project, he added.
A conversation should be sought
The city councils also reacted blankly. “If we as a city have already invested a large chunk of money in planning the district, I think it goes without saying that we demand the money back,” interjected Peter Nössler (CDU). Katharina Neuhaus (Bündnis 90 / Die Grünen) suggested sending a letter to the district administrator as a whole.
The parliamentary group leader of the SPD and local mayor of Cobbelsdorf André Saage said that he had also “read the mail with dismay”, but still had “a glimmer of hope” and wished that “the door would not slam completely” and that conversation would be sought instead. (mz)
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