The facade of the village community center in Seebergen (Brünings Hof) is crumbling. The stones in the framework have been covered with foil as a precaution. (photos: CARMEN JASPERSEN)
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Lilienthal. It looks like jewelry again, the facade of the Seebergen village community center. Compartment for compartment between the old oak beams was newly lined, there were also new windows and doors for the Brünings Hof and inside, a modern, economical heating system now ensures comfortable temperatures. This was made possible by the village development plan for the “4-village region between Hamme and Wümme”. The associated financial support, which the municipality uses to bring public buildings and paths into shape or to create new ones, runs until 2025.
The first year is over. Mayor Kristian Tangermann brought a piece of paper with him to the on-site visit in Seebergen for the interim balance sheet, listing what has already happened since the Lüneburg Regional Development Office was approved and how things should continue next year. He talks about the public projects that the community has launched. The construction work by private individuals, which can also be subsidized with funds from the European Union as part of the village development plan, is left out.
Financial balancing act
It is a financial balancing act that the community undertakes: In view of empty coffers and a huge mountain of debt, the community has been required for years to keep voluntary services and investments to an urgently necessary minimum. On the one hand, there are substantial grants of up to 63 percent of the costs, on the other hand it is clear that the municipality can only finance the respective own contribution through new loans. “The local council decided on the village development plan in March 2019 knowing that it would need money,” says Tangermann.
At Brünings Hof, the borrowing from the district auditors went through. The municipality had argued that the construction measures will increase the municipality’s wealth and that the installation of the new heating system and the renovation of the facade will also significantly reduce energy costs, so that the investment is justifiable. The fact that the village looks more beautiful in the end is of course a welcome effect, says Tangermann. All in all, 38 490 euros have been invested in Seebergen, 17 358 euros remain in the community.
Mayor Kristian Tangermann in front of the Brünings Hof. The facade of the Seebergen village community center has been renovated with funding for village development and a new heating system has also been installed. (CARMEN JASPERSEN)
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The other projects that have been completed this year will continue in this form. At the Heidberg village community center, the desolate fence system has been replaced and new play equipment for children has been installed. This should increase the quality of stay, and the overall appearance of the place should be improved. Cost: 21,560 euros, of which the municipality pays a contribution of 7,977 euros. Funding has also been approved for the paving of the public parking spaces in front of the kindergarten in Seebergen, the bottom line being that 46,967 euros were spent, the community’s contribution is 17,377 euros.
It should start soon in Worphausen, where the village community center will be expanded, the existing building fabric will be upgraded and the parking lot and access road will be redesigned. According to the municipality, the building permit has been obtained. The tenders for individual trades have been completed, the process is still ongoing for others. Clearing work began in October, and the building site access is currently being prepared so that the shell work can then begin. The current project is financially the thickest chunk that the community wants to lift: The investment is worth 737,900 euros, while Lilienthal has an own contribution of 273,023 euros according to the calculation. Mayor Tangermann emphasizes the synergy effects that result from the building project because the fire station is right next door and benefits from the new driveway. A similar situation can be found in Heidberg.
Further projects in planning
Funding applications for two other projects have also been submitted to the Office for Regional State Development in the Bremerhaven office on October 15: the renewal of the access road to Höge is on the plan (cost estimate 796 611 euros) and the roadway divider, which is estimated at 212,000 euros Heidberger Strasse behind the Wbodebrücke should be approached. It is already foreseeable that the planned fortification of the Wiesendamm as an important connection between Lilienthal and Grasberg cannot be realized in the next year in view of the strained budget situation. There, the municipal administration is assuming total costs of 740,000 euros, to which the municipality would also have to contribute a part. There is not yet a budget for 2021, the draft is to be presented to the finance committee this Monday. But it is already becoming apparent that the Corona crisis will tear considerable holes, especially in revenue.
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