After resignations

Mayor takes up the cudgels for the association of municipalities

Bernhard Schöpf appeals to municipalities to remain loyal to the Tyrolean Association of Municipalities.

(Bild: Birbaumer Christof/Hubert Daum)

For Bernhard Schöpf, mayor of the smallest municipality in the Imst district and also head of the ÖVP district party, there is no alternative to membership of the Association of Tyrolean Municipalities. Excellent work is being done there.

The unanimous decision of the St. Johann municipal council to do the same as their colleagues in Hall and withdraw from the association of municipalities has fueled fears of a domino effect. The mayor of Mils, the smallest municipality in the district of Imst, also senses this.

Village leader Bernhard Schöpf is also the district chairman of the Tyrolean People's Party and has made an official statement to the press. The Tyrolean Association of Municipalities is the service center for the Tyrolean municipalities and the employees do an excellent job.

Not every municipality is in a position to employ a lawyer as head of the municipal office.

Bernhard Schöpf, Bürgermeister Mils bei Imst

"We small municipalities in particular are happy about the service provided by the office," says Schöpf, "not every municipality is in a position to hire a lawyer to head the municipal office." The head of the village of Mils is convinced that there is no alternative for small municipalities.

"A saving of 23,500 euros is a false calculation"
"It may sound tempting at first glance for the larger municipalities to save up to 23,500 euros a year," Schöpf continues, "but if you deduct the personnel costs incurred to clarify legal issues, this amount will be significantly reduced on closer inspection." The municipalities of Tyrol are only strong if they stand together in solidarity.

The GemNova bankruptcy has not yet been forgotten
In fact, from their point of view, the St. Johann mandataries "could make better use of the €23,000 elsewhere" (membership fee for 2025 is €2.35 per inhabitant capped at €10,000). The events surrounding the bankruptcy of the subsidiary GemNova had also provided arguments for leaving.

Remaining in the association was already an issue in the municipal parliament last year. It is reported that Lienz is also currently considering leaving.