Dispute over the restaurant at MCC

The issue of operating a restaurant at the International Ceramics Center dominated the latest City Council session, held on Monday, August 9. This was because councillors were to decide that day whether they approved a plan to increase spending on MCC. As stated in the resolution on changes to the city budget for 2010, an additional PLN 600,000 is to be allocated for “the delivery and installation of information technology and electronic equipment, as well as the delivery of equipment and arrangement of the interiors of the restaurant, shop and cloakroom.”

Councillor Jarosław Kowalski of the Bolesławiec XXI club spoke. “I demand that the equipment purchased for the restaurant operating at BOK-MCC be of the highest quality,” he said. “There are few places in our city where young people my age—read: 40—could go with people from outside Bolesławiec. I would like it to be possible to park a car in a representative location and go out for something sophisticated to eat, while also showing off, for example, a ceramics gallery.”

BOK-MCC is to operate the restaurant. “This is a very difficult task, because I am the director of a cultural institution,” said Ewa Lijewska-Małachowska, head of BOK-MCC, during Monday’s session. “But we are making every effort to meet this challenge as well as possible. We are planning to open the International Ceramics Center on September 29. I would very much like the restaurant to open at the same time. If we purchase the necessary equipment, I think this will be possible.”

Mayor Piotr Roman recalled that the investment known as the Cultural and Educational Center had cost more than PLN 30 million in total. “If we compare these amounts, PLN 600,000 does not even represent 3% of the value of this project,” Roman argued. He added that there are many cultural centers in Poland with restaurants operated by municipal institutions. This is the case, for example, in Jawor.

This argument did not convince Cezariusz Rudyk, head of the Civic Platform councillors’ club. “None of us has the slightest doubt that, as far as information technology equipment is concerned, everything should be of the best quality,” the councillor stressed. “We differ on the issue of equipping the restaurant and shop. We believe that agents should handle this.”

As Rudyk pointed out, BOK should primarily focus on fostering culture. “I do not think operating a restaurant and shop should be among the city’s responsibilities. I accept that this is done in Jawor, but that does not mean it is a good solution,” added the Civic Platform councillor.

Ewa Lijewska-Małachowska spoke again. “I would not dare argue with the councillor,” said the BOK-MCC director. “It would be easiest if I focused solely on culture. But I thought for a long time about operating the restaurant and shop. In the case of the latter, I would like to give all ceramics manufacturers an equal opportunity, so that tourists who come to the International Ceramics Center can see the full range of ceramics offered by our city.”

“Moreover, Bolesławiec lacks a sales gallery. Artists have to make a living from something, after all,” Lijewska-Małachowska continued. “I want the shop operating at BOK-MCC to be combined with a gallery of this kind.”

The vice-chairman of the City Council, Józef Pokładek, joined the discussion: “If we do not try, we will not know what it is supposed to look like. If we adopt this resolution, we will see what comes of it, and I think that at last there will be something nice in the city center.”

Piotr Roman stressed that all income from operating the shop and restaurant would be allocated to BOK’s activities. “This means that in the future, successive councillors may be able to allocate less money for the center’s operation,” he said. “Besides, there are already a great many restaurants in Bolesławiec, and there will be one more. This is a shock for private entrepreneurs; competition is emerging.”

According to Roman, MCC’s advantage will be that symposiums and congresses can be held at the Center, visitors can eat something, and at the same time buy Bolesławiec ceramics. “And they will not have to leave the building,” the mayor added.

“I, too, support the idea that everything that can be private should be private, but the main argument for having BOK operate the restaurant is safety,” Roman continued. He added that if a private entrepreneur operated the restaurant, European institutions might decide that something was wrong and order the city to return PLN 17 million in funding.

Councillor Bogusław Nowak of the Civic Platform held a different opinion. “I am appalled by our mayor’s words,” he stressed. “A man who has never run any business in his life, who has not even operated a newsstand and has never had to pay anyone’s salary or social security contributions on time, is saying things that simply make no sense to me. I am speaking on behalf of Bolesławiec’s entrepreneurs, because they are appalled by the actions of the mayor and the entire municipal administration. Taxpayers’ money is being used to create competition for other establishments in the city. There are already a number of food-service businesses operating in Bolesławiec. We do not have many customers. Bolesławiec is a town of 38,000, not Wrocław or Warsaw. There is no room here for 10 decent restaurants.”

In Nowak’s view, the restaurant at BOK-MCC would perform “moderately.” “And we, the taxpayers and citizens of this city, will have to subsidize it,” the councillor fumed. “We will have a splendid showcase to the glory of the homeland and to the glory of the mayor. And what will happen to entrepreneurs, people who invest in this city with their blood, sweat and assets? Let them drop out of the game. Public money will be used to create a new satanic scheme. This is not a municipal responsibility.”

Despite the objections, the Council adopted the resolution on changes to the city budget for 2010. Thirteen councillors voted in favor. The Civic Platform councillors and Irena Dul of the Democratic Left Alliance voted against.

(information ii)