The Wetterau district council unanimously resolves an aid program, but rejects a permanent fund. Before that there is a dispute about who is to be blamed for the flood.
The district council members unanimously decided on financial aid for those affected by the flood disaster. Symbol photo: Leo
WETTERAUKREIS – At the last point in the last district council meeting before the local elections, all parliamentary groups agreed: The Büdinger and the other Wetterau flood victims need help. The MPs unanimously decided on Wednesday financial aid for those affected by the flood disaster. Before that, however, there was a dispute about who was responsible for the flood.
The aid program was put on the agenda as an urgency request by the black-red coalition. To make this formally possible, 54 MPs drove to Echzell from all corners of the district – after that the plenum melted a good dozen heads so that the district council could meet with plenty of air between the politicians in accordance with corona.
“We want to help,” said District Administrator Jan Weckler. After the district council’s “yes” to the aid program, he applied on Thursday to Brigitte Lindscheid, President of the Darmstadt government, to grant state financial aid to the flood victims. Lindscheid has already been informed about this and is expected to approve the project in mid-February. In doing so, the natural hazard guidelines of the state of Hesse must be strictly followed. The district sets up a damage commission, which examines all requests for assistance from around February 22nd. A maximum of one third of the recognized damage can be covered by the district. According to the guidelines, the highest application amount is 30,000 euros. In the best case scenario, 10,000 euros would be expected from the Wetterau district.
How much money the district office will have to take in hand was initially open. Because the extent of the damage has not yet been determined. According to District Administrator Weckler, the help is booked to the budget office for disaster control, which is already heavily used by the fight against the corona pandemic.
A more far-reaching auxiliary proposal by the left and pirate faction was not discussed by the other parties and promptly rejected. Because he was nothing more than “election campaign populism,” said AfD parliamentary group leader Michael Kuger. The Left Party wanted the district to provide 250,000 euros, which would be distributed as unbureaucratic emergency aid to people particularly affected by flood damage. In addition, the district should give a further quarter of a million as the basis of a new aid fund. This could help in future disasters, said Left MP Gabi Faulhaber. The district must solicit further donations for the relief fund at the Sparkasse Oberhessen and other banks, companies and private individuals. “Unfortunately, climate changes will also lead to extreme weather conditions in the future,” said Faulhaber. The AfD man Michael Kuger disagreed: to blame for the flood is “political failure and not the consequences of climate change”. Many MPs from other groups shook their heads.
At the same time, the district council was also about who could be responsible for the temporary downfall of Büdingen. The FDP spokesman, Peter Heidt, pointed out to Erich Spamer: “If the grove wall hadn’t broken, there would have been no flood in Büdingen. Spamer has known for years that the grove wall is broken.” In the years after the flood of 2003, the FDP in Büdingen repeatedly applied for flood protection measures in vain. Protective structures by the Nidder-Seemenbach water association were also rejected.
Erich Spamer couldn’t answer that. The FWG district parliamentary group leader had already returned to Büdingen before the flood debate. Because he wants to take care of his shattered city and its residents, said Spamers parliamentary group colleague Markus Bäckel from Ortenberg. He considers the accusations to be unjust: “Erich Spamer tried to set important things in motion, but it did not succeed.” Now you have to help those affected by the flood.
Faster than the financial aid and free of charge, there was praise for all helpers. He was thrilled, said the CDU parliamentary group leader and Bad Vilbel city councilor Sebastian Wysocki, how many Wetterauers came to the aid of those affected by the flood. For example, the Vilbel fire brigade filled sandbags and brought them to Gedern.
“In times of need it is important to stick together,” added the SPD parliamentary group leader Christine Jäger. The relief efforts showed “that all Wetterauers are one big family”. The SPD parliamentary group will donate their attendance fees for flood emergency aid. The CDU member Patrick Appel also announced this for his own attendance fee. District Administrator Weckler published a donation account number on Tuesday. It is DE79 5185 0079 0027 1921 14. Transfers must bear the keyword “Flood Aid Wetteraukreis”.
As the MPs drifted apart, it rained heavily. The Seemenbach level reported rising water since the morning. Warning levels would not be reached, reported the Darmstadt regional council. For Saturday you have to expect higher water levels again. Current data is available on the Internet at www-hochwasser-hessen.de.
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