The fat years are over: for the first time in 15 years, the municipality of Höchberg takes out a loan of one million euros and the previously low per capita debt of 20 euros has now risen to 121 euros. “We should make sure that we continue to have a share of the reserves and are therefore doing well with a low borrowing at the current conditions,” says Mayor Alexander Knahn. This means that the market town has a reserve of just under 4.5 million euros for future investments.
Treasurer Stefanie Grund had previously submitted a mammoth work on the budget to the municipal council. The total volume is therefore 31 million euros, divided into the administrative budget with almost 23,000,000 euros and 8,166,900 euros in the property budget. Sounds like a solid budget at first, but Mayor Knahn made it clear that not all requests could be taken into account and that old applications should be processed first. The parliamentary groups adhered to this in the preliminary consultation, but the list to be worked through is considerable.
More space for cyclists and pedestrians
In any case, the application from 2011 by the three parliamentary groups Bündnis 90 / Die Grünen, SPD and CSU to create a cycle path connection from Mehle II to Hexenbruch is taken into account. There is already a concept from the Wegner Urban Planning office, which is now being examined and its technical implementation in the form of a protective strip for cyclists is to be decided by the building and environmental committee in the 2nd quarter. There was also agreement to include 25,000 euros in the 2021 budget for the improvement of the playground in “Bayernstrasse Mitte”.
There was also agreement to make life easier for pedestrians at the intersection of Würzburger Strasse and Münchener Strasse in the future. When drawing up a development plan for the “Kühbachgrund” area, traffic management measures, especially for pedestrians, are to be checked and, if necessary, initiated. Separate budget funds are initially not required, it said on the part of the administration. The sidewalk in Martin-Wilhelm-Strasse is also to be widened.
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For the time being no village shop, but more living space for senior living communities
A greater need for discussion, however, triggered the refusal on the part of the administration to set 100,000 euros for another village shop in the center of the village. While the administration adhered to the recommendation of the Büro Standort & Kommune Beratungs GmbH to do without an additional shop, Walter Feineis (non-party) recalled the previous household survey, which had shown an increased need, especially among the older population. It is clear to him that the retirees are increasingly living on the poverty line and certainly cannot shop in the existing health food store. Mayor Knahn drew attention to the fact that an additional shop would mean competition and a shop-in-shop concept would probably make more sense. “This will certainly not be the last time we will discuss it, but at the moment an additional village shop is not a priority.” The committee joined the administration with two votes against.
The same applies to an expansion of the citizen bus service. This was demanded by the UWG and the FDP. The last time the operation was redefined in January 2019. From the point of view of the administration, there is no reason to change anything at the moment, “but we also keep an eye on that on a regular basis and will report on it,” said Knahn.
When designating possible new building areas in Mehle II and at Hexenbruch, at the request of the CSU, areas should definitely be designated again for the so-called local model. CSU parliamentary group spokesman Matthias Rüth emphasized that the parliamentary group wanted a “moderate rounding-off”. Susanne Cimander (Bündnis 90 / Die Grünen), on behalf of her parliamentary group, attached great importance to the fact that multi-generational houses in particular should be taken into account.
New construction of the Tegut am Hexenbruch is the largest investment
The largest investment by the community will be the new Tegut am Hexenbruch with 4.2 million euros. This should be completed by the end of the year. The local councilors Timo Koppitz (UWG) and Bernd van Elten (FDP) spoke out in unison for a timely implementation of the associated roundabout on Albrecht-Dürer-Straße / Seeweg, as they fear an increased risk of accidents due to the neighboring secondary school.
Another 1.5 million euros are earmarked for the expansion of the Ernst Keil primary school and 1.3 million euros for the renovation of the former youth center in Herrenweg. Five apartments are being built there as part of the housing subsidy program. Civil engineering, i.e. sewer rehabilitation, also costs a good 700,000 euros.
“I know that with this approach – to resolve individual applications at this point in time and to specify a time schedule – we are specifically committed, but I also emphatically represent them,” said Mayor Knahn, thanking all local councils, who made almost all resolutions unanimously carry along. Martin Benthe, SPD parliamentary group spokesman, also found it remarkable that “all parliamentary groups give the administration such a leap of faith”. The budget will be decided on Tuesday, March 2nd.
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