New fire station

Mayor to be liable with private assets

According to the ÖVP amendment, the head of the SPÖ would have to pay €700,000 out of his own pocket.(Bild: Karl Grammer)

A referendum with a clear pro result, a positive citizens' meeting and a firm decision in principle by the local council - everything speaks in favor of a new fire station in Sieggraben. Nevertheless, the forward-looking project is still a long way off.

Despite the mold, rat infestation and lack of sanitary facilities that the emergency services are currently struggling with at the old site, the local ÖVP party led by Deputy Mayor Anton Taschner is reluctant to approve the construction of a modern fire station. The debate about the project, which is desired by the majority of the population, is sometimes bizarre.

Maximum amount of 1.5 million euros
At the last municipal council meeting, ÖVP-Taschner submitted an amendment to the agenda item "Construction of a new fire station". Although all the experts consulted expect costs of around 2.2 million euros, the ÖVP believes that the planned operations center should not cost more than 1.5 million euros. If this mark is exceeded, SPÖ mayor Andreas Gradwohl is to be held liable with his private assets (see facsimile).

(Bild: Karl Grammer)

"Exceeds the limit"
"The fact that the ÖVP puts party politics before factual politics is nothing new in Sieggraben. Personal sensitivities are constantly served at meetings and many decisions are made for personal gain. But wanting to make me privately liable for any additional costs is just too much. That crosses the line," says the SPÖ mayor in dismay. He has never experienced anything like this in his almost 30-year political career.

This is what the fire station should look like.(Bild: Architektur-Werkstatt)

Gross or net?
An abstruse detail in passing: the ÖVP's amendment does not even state whether the prescribed costs of 1.5 million euros are a gross or net amount. At first, the ten turquoise municipal councillors were unable to answer whether the demolition was included in the bill. It was only after repeated questions that the ÖVP settled on a gross figure of 1.5 million euros. The next meeting is scheduled for Monday. Heated debates seem almost pre-programmed.