Local political group the OBG have released a statement criticising the creation of the creation of the “Förderverein Taunabad” – the charity set up by supporters of the new swimming pool.
Part of their criticism is that the main players in the charity are also key figures in the town’s administration. They argue that by transferring power from the town hall to the charity those at the top are no longer directly accountable to voters but to the charity’s board instead.
But they also criticise the fact that lower down the chain there are town hall employees who they claim then carry out work for this and other organisations in the town whilst being paid for by the towns budget but without the internal accountability.
They insist that if such organisations are to be created to allow volunteers to provide a service within the town, then they must be independent of the town hall and its budget and run by the volunteers themselves.
Andreas Bernhardt, financial spokesman for the group, cites the twinning committee as a successful organisation which has wide support but without the town having a stake in it.
He accuses the parties who voted for the new swimming p0ol – CDU, SPD and the Green Party – of creating an “Amigowirtschaft”, an economy run by friends. “No supporters’ charity can finance what the swimming pool coalition […] have done in Oberursel” he stated last week.
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