The County Secretary Radosław Palczewski, took the floor and informed the councillors that the PKS bus station plots are owned by the State Treasury and that the PKS company, owned by the County, holds perpetual usufruct rights to them. “In connection with the City’s offer, we submitted an application for the transfer of this property to the County. This was so that no one who wanted to acquire the plot from the State Treasury could get ahead of us. It is a form of securing ownership of this property,” he added.
Józef Król, a councillor from the Forum club:
On 12 January, Mayor Piotr Roman submitted an offer to acquire, through a non-tender procedure from PKS, the perpetual usufruct right to the bus station grounds. The proposed amount was PLN 3.5 million net. On 24 February, the County Executive Board expressed its position on the matter by sending a letter to the mayor. I have read its contents. In my opinion, it is surprising.
I am asking five questions. That is not many, because the letter contains 17 different demands, concerns, questions, and so on. Does the county head intend to accept this offer? Were the conditions and expectations regarding the bidder also included in the tender documentation for a private buyer? Is the announced clarification of the legal status of this property intended to facilitate or hinder acceptance of the offer submitted? Will PKS, without the expected proceeds from the sale of this property, remain financially liquid and maintain its fleet and employees’ wages at a good level?
Bolesławiec Deputy County Head Marian Haniszewski:
We will return to the subject on 3 March [tego dnia ma się odbyć spotkanie powiatowych urzędników z prezydentem P. Romanem – przyp. „ii”]. The time has already been agreed. The questions included in this letter are intended to help us prepare for those talks. We want to safeguard the station’s function. I think we will reach an agreement on 3 March. We are not saying no.
Piotr Roman asked to speak:
I submitted this offer and made very difficult decisions to find the funds for this purchase. It is not as if the City has mountains of money. But if we continue to see such delays, I believe the City Council will also decide to allocate these funds to another purpose.
And he stressed:
Today is the last chance to save the bus station and solve a problem that has not been resolved for more than a dozen years and that is an embarrassment for both the City and the County. Today, several dozen percent of young people get on and off buses while taking mud baths at the so-called “whistling station,” as young people call it. I received the County Executive Board’s letter electronically. And I have the impression that the point here is either to prolong the process or to find some solution that would make this purchase more difficult.
For me, the decision is simple. I have the money now and I can help PKS. The company will be able to buy rolling stock and perhaps improve people’s working conditions. I will answer all the questions, but, for God’s sake, please do not let this take another year or a year and a half.
What do you think—will the local governments reach an agreement on this matter? We invite you to discuss it, and we will certainly return to the subject.