Municipal Council of the City of Wiedhoven / J. – Electronic cars and tractors caused debates in the city parliament

Mayor Werner Kramer gets a new service car. Since his current company car lease expired, an electric car is now being leased to the city manager for €59,900. SPÖ Deputy Mayor Armin Bahr said at the municipal council meeting last Tuesday, after a discussion from the pre-coalition days, which at that time caused some discomfort between WVP and SPÖ had been keen to hint.

The cash for the electric car came from MFG city councilor Wolfgang Durst. He pointed out that the production of electric car batteries has nothing to do with the climate. This prompted SPÖ leader Bahr to note that Durst may have been reading his movements from the counter rather than from a laptop computer at the meeting. In the end, the members of the MFG team abstained from voting on the agenda item, Karin Teoffel, Astrid Tanzer, Walter Kronsteiner and Sabrina Grillenberger.

E-car for car-sharing Association

The city’s purchase of an e-car was a topic at the town council meeting for the second time. The municipal council had already decided to buy an electric car for the Waidhofen car-sharing association last year. The car is finally delivered. At the meeting on Tuesday, Waidhofner mandataries now had to agree to a usage agreement for this vehicle as well as takeover of the funds released for the year in the current year. “I’m glad the purchase is an e-car,” said SPÖ city councilor Erik Leonartsberger, who works with a combustion engine, which is more climate-friendly by a factor of 5:1.

WVP President Kramer joined Leonhartsberger. The city manager said the car-sharing association has an important offer ready, which could prompt some families to forgo a second car in the future.

Green traffic light for a diesel vehicle

However, another vehicle, this time diesel powered, was a subject of the meeting: the decision had to be made to buy a new domestic tractor for the Waidhofen and Zell cemeteries for €25,200. The FUFU list abstained. FUFU City Councilman Martin Dowalil complained that the purchase was not climate-related, but the climate-related traffic light was still green.

WVP city councilor Franz Sommer justified this by saying that there was no alternative to a diesel vehicle. WVB President Kramer, on the other hand, said the traffic light should indeed be red, but added, “But we will always have to make such decisions if there is no alternative.”