Purchase of a monastery, new crèche, new elementary school, repurchase of apartments for the elderly: the municipality of Bernried has recently invested a lot and also has a lot planned for the coming years. The fly in the ointment: For the high investments, a withdrawal of almost 3.5 million euros from the reserves is required, the pot will melt down to 528,493 euros by the end of the year. The good news: The minimum reserve only has to be 55,000 euros – and this is secured in the form of savings bonds in the amount of 60,000 euros. According to Treasurer Eva Reicheicher, the reserve pot should also be replenished as quickly as possible, for example through the sale of land. For example, she stopped selling the water tower with 700,000 euros in the budget. Almost at the last minute, the municipal council passed the 2022 budget and the financial plan up to 2025 in its last meeting before the summer break on Thursday.
The total budget is around 16 million euros. That is about 700,000 euros less than in the previous year. But given that the overall budget of the village of 2,300 people ten years ago was seven million euros, this is a drastic increase.
The purchase of the monastery will burden the budget with half a million euros per year until 2038.
The highest investments in recent years resulted from the expansion of the summer cellar – in 2022 only a remainder of 130,000 euros – a further 115,000 for the conversion of the village square by 2023 and the purchase of the monastery, which was only officially completed this year. The latter will burden the community for years to come. However, she did not take out a loan for this, payment in installments was agreed: 500,000 euros must be paid every year until 2038 – making a total of 8.2 million euros. In return, the municipality has built up “a considerable amount of real estate,” explained Mayor Georg Malterer, noting that the monastery also includes a 30,000 square meter area in a prime location directly on Lake Starnberg.
—The Missionary Benedictines in Bernried – here at a prayer service in the chapel – can continue to live in the monastery free of charge.
(Photo: Franz Xaver Fuchs)
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However, the maintenance costs will have to be paid in future and the investments in fire protection – around 150,000 euros per year – will have to be borne by the municipality. In addition, the Missionary Benedictines may continue to live in the monastery free of charge and run their educational institution. 1.1 million have already been invested in the conversion of the garden hall into a crèche and two million euros have been set aside for the planned new construction of the elementary school in the monastery by 2025. The largest item this year was the repurchase of 13 apartments in assisted living for 3.5 million euros, plus around 140,000 euros for the interior design. The community had hoped in vain for funding. For the renovation of the Sankt Martin parish church, Bernried will grant an investment grant of 200,000 euros in 2022 and a further 100,000 euros in the coming year. 100,000 euros are to be invested in five e-landing columns and 110,000 euros in a rescue boat for the fire brigade.
As in many other municipalities, the highest expenses are the district levy and staff
The highest expenses are the district levy of almost 1.6 million euros and allocations for social institutions and childcare of 1.5 million euros. Personnel expenses amount to around 1.2 million euros. The municipality had to take out a loan for the construction of the crèche, which increased the debt to almost 7.8 million euros. That is 3,312 euros per inhabitant. However, the current loans will continue to be repaid regularly and, according to the treasurer, the ability to pay is also given for the coming years.
The income, however, remains largely the same. The budget estimate for the municipal income tax share is 1.9 million euros, for trade tax 1.2 million euros. The visitor’s tax was increased from 50 cents to 1 euro, so that instead of 70,000 euros, 120,000 euros are to be flushed into the cash register this year. The budget, job and financial plan were approved unanimously and without discussion.
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