The difficult process of building local-government democracy continues in the town on the Bóbr. Although decisions are made in the privacy of the mayor’s office, councillors and the executive authorities work in full public view. And that is how it should be, how it must be. We want to bring the mechanism of local government closer to our electorate and make it visible from the inside, as it were, first-hand—based on a record of facts, with only concise supplementary commentary.
A few preliminary remarks. The Bolesławiec City Executive Board consists of seven people, including, as if "by virtue of office," Mayor of the City Józef Król as its Chair, and his two deputies (Jan JASIUKIEWICZ and Władysław ZUZIAK, who are full-time employees with strictly defined areas of responsibility). All of them are elected and approved by the City Council at its first sitting. By decision of the City Council, in a secret ballot, four councillors were elected as civic (non-full-time) members of the City Executive Board: Stanisław ANDRUSIECZKO (retired), Edward BURNIAK (retired), Andrzej CZARCIŃSKI (ZTE Unitra-Serwis) and Paweł ŚLIWKO (retired). Contrary to appearances, being retired has its advantages: it allows temporary availability, independence in expressing voters’ opinions, and the active use of professional and life experience, among other things. The following attend meetings—but without voting rights: City Secretary Bronisław GRYGIEL, Treasurer Gabriela KUJĄ WIŃSKA and City Council Chair Władysław LANDSBERC.
The Executive Board generally meets every week. These are lengthy deliberations, with extensive agendas and thorough decisions. One cannot passively listen to the arguments of the person leading the meeting; there is no division into active participants and extras, while the signature concluding the work on a resolution or decision (arrangement) represents the culmination of collective effort and consensus.
A specific example—the course of the City Executive Board’s eighth meeting, held on 10 October of this year.
Deputy Head of the Land Management Department Jolanta Kręgiel presented a proposal to allocate undeveloped land for perpetual usufruct—without a tender—on Lubańska and Konradowska Streets. This prompted discussion and an exchange of views, whose final result was a draft resolution to be approved by the City Council at its next session. The same official presented a draft announcement by the City Executive Board concerning a list of residential premises intended for sale, at the request of interested parties, to their current tenants or close relatives permanently living with them. The wording was somewhat unusual, but the social purpose of the idea was obvious, hence the assembled members’ agreement to resolve the matter in the residents’ interest.
The management of the Municipal Public Library submitted a request to change the intended use of a budget allocation, purchasing a photocopier instead of computerising the collections. Despite the surprise of those present—since there is no escaping computerisation nowadays—the institution’s right to implement its own programme concepts was recognised. The legitimacy of expanding the material scope of road repairs this year was also recognised; consequently, a new surface will be laid on 10 Marca Street and decorative paving stones will be installed on the pavement along A. Asnyka Street. The city’s appearance and pedestrians’ convenience will benefit greatly.
The financial purse has no bottom: the receiver of the Bolesławiec Mining and Energy Production and Assembly Enterprise submitted a request to defer payment of the 1994 real-estate tax and spread the tax arrears over a period of two years. The city needs money, so the simplest solution would be to demand payment of the considerable debt—1 billion 360 million złoty. But that would mean the factory’s collapse and unemployment for around 200 people. The social and human perspective prevailed: the city will wait if the delay offers a chance to save the plant. No one wants to play the role of an executioner, to drive the final nail into the coffin. Time will tell who was right.
The Fire Service asked that collection of the motor-vehicle tax for the past half-year be abandoned (13.8 million złoty). This prompted so-called mixed feelings and discussion, but a positive decision was made, as in the case of spreading B.B.’s inheritance tax of 7.2 million złoty into instalments. The Social Affairs Department proposed allocating additional funds from the budget reserve for urgent renovation needs at primary schools. Thus, “Number One” will receive an additional amount of over 37 million złoty, “Number Three” 9.3 million złoty and nearly another 55 million złoty for renovating the gymnasium roof, “Number Four” 22.8 million złoty, “Number Six” 10.8 million złoty, “Number Nine” 41 million złoty, and “10” 17 million złoty for renovating the gymnasium roof. An offer from Z. Wolańskicgo to renovate the MOS stadium pitch was selected, with approval granted for expenditure from the city budget of approximately 73 million złoty for this purpose by the end of the year, while an initial sum of 185 million złoty was planned in next year’s budget to complete the pitch renovation in spring. The same day, the Board still had to deal with matters concerning municipal property management.
Thus, D.K. requested the use of rooms for rehearsals by a music group. The matter was referred to the cultural institutions—BOK and MDK—for resolution. W.M. asked for a reduction in the rent for a basement premises lacking central heating. The legitimacy of the request was accepted; the rest is up to MZGM. The “Jazz i Rock” Music Club—“Arietta” s.c.—received permission to extend its exemption from rent payments for the premises under renovation by a further month. Draft minutes from negotiations concerning the establishment of perpetual usufruct rights to land by GS “Samopomoc Chłopska” (Kościuszki Street, II Armii WP, Dolne Młyny and Zabobrze) were presented and approved. LOK was refused exemption from rent payments in the fourth quarter. Usługowa Spółdzielnia Inwalidów “Senior” and L.R. received consent to extend the lease of land beneath commercial pavilions by three years. The Board also dealt with the sale of chrysanthemums by PSS “Społem” before All Souls’ Day (at the premises of the former ceramic plant on Górne Młyny Street) and in front of the municipal cemetery; it considered an appeal against the ban on alcohol sales at the police “Paragraf” Casino (once again, the matter was settled negatively); and the Mayor reported on letters sent to the Property Commission in Warsaw concerning the restitution of the church property of the Parish of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which was acknowledged with so-called accepting notice (a linguistic oddity!).
Let us also add information about TLB’s new “television window,” the implementation of City Council resolutions, the course of the mayors’ training in Zakopane, the meeting between the city authorities and representatives of Telekomunikacja Polska S.A. and the signing of a letter of intent—which may ensure that everyone interested obtains a telephone within no more than two years—the difficulties connected with purchasing buses for MZK through the fault of the rural municipality, further activities connected with locating a landfill in Trzebień, ZEC’s preparations for the heating season (MZGM and the Housing Cooperative do not anticipate an increase in charges for this reason by the end of the year), the renovation of the bridge over the Bóbr (an agreement was reached with WDK that, instead of contractual penalties, it would prepare two bus bays on Widok and Spółdzielcza Streets), preparations for the approaching 50th anniversary of the arrival of the first Polish settlers in Bolesławiec (the city is awaiting proposals for ceremonial celebrations), successful efforts to obtain additional money for healthcare, the possibility of further expanding the sewage treatment plant, and more.
This is a picture— incomplete, abbreviated and colourless—of one working day of the City Executive Board. Boring? Yes, this is precisely the prosaic reality of everyday life in the town on the Bóbr. Organic, comprehensive action from the ground up—arising from positivist principles and contemporary praxeology. Is it worth envying councillors their mandate and the social credit of trust? You be the judge.