Two applications were submitted in the competition for the position of MZGM director. One was rejected for formal reasons, so the other application, submitted by Jarosław Karbowski, was accepted. For the first seven months, Karbowski will serve as acting director.
Although Jarosław Karbowski has only recently started working at MZGM, he is nevertheless aware that the institution requires further restructuring. “These will not be revolutionary changes,” director Karbowski reassures, adding: “There will certainly be no mass layoffs.” Jarosław Karbowski also anticipates no personnel changes. As for restructuring, several concepts are being considered. Every move will be based on analyses of similar cases in Poland and, as Karbowski repeatedly emphasized, will be agreed upon with the City Council and the Mayor of Bolesławiec, Piotr Roman. However, Bolesławiec’s MZGM certainly does not intend to follow Wrocław’s example. “I am not considering liquidation as an option,” says the new director.
Asked about possible privatization, Karbowski said that this is a trend in Poland. However, in the director’s view, the only acceptable solution would be an employee-owned company. The problem is that such a company “could have even greater difficulties” than the institution currently has. An ideal solution, therefore, would seem to be transforming the Municipal Housing Management Authority into a company in which the municipal treasury would hold 100% of the shares. As the director added, restructuring is important because changing the institution’s legal form would give it creditworthiness and, consequently, greater investment opportunities. He also said that MZGM plans to build a municipal building on Gdańska Street. He acknowledged that he is aware that MZGM enjoys considerable trust in Bolesławiec.
Jarosław Karbowski graduated from the Faculty of Environmental Engineering at Wrocław University of Technology, specializing in air conditioning, heating and sanitary installations. He completed specialist courses and training. Previously, he worked, among other places, at the “Huta Katowice” Metallurgical Complex in Dąbrowa Górnicza, the Agricultural Production Cooperative in Olsztyn, P.U.P.H. “Wileh” in Częstochowa, the Housing Cooperative in Złotoryja and the Voivodeship Hospital for the Nervously and Mentally Ill in Bolesławiec. He is married. He lives in Raciborowice Górne.
(UM/GA information)