Durlangen in transition: Mayor Gerstlauer takes stock after 30 years

Durlangen in transition: Mayor Gerstlauer takes stock after 30 years

After more than 30 years in office, Durlangen's mayor Klaus Gerstlauer takes stock and ends his political career. At a time of great upheaval in society and administration, he emphasizes the profound changes that have arisen from digitalization. “The speed of social and internal administrative processes has changed enormously,” says Gerstlauer, emphasizing that the intensification of work and accelerated communication are now part of everyday life.

A central concern during his term of office was civic engagement. “Criticism is legitimate, but active participation has a different quality,” says Gerstlauer. He has always emphasized the responsibility of the local council, clubs and voluntary work and sees the positive developments in cooperation with citizens and local councilors as an outstanding achievement of his term of office. Even though the challenges are great, such as personal concerns that often make political decisions difficult, he appreciated the constructive cooperation.

The role of digital public services

In the coming years, digital public services will become increasingly important for municipalities, as various studies have shown. In Durlangen, greater emphasis was placed on establishing digital services in order to provide citizens with up-to-date offerings in all municipal service areas. According to information from Difu, digital public services are a basic condition for comprehensive digitalization for the benefit of the local community. Numerous digital solutions are currently being developed and tested as part of funding programs.

Gerstlauer has also campaigned for the modernization of the infrastructure. This includes investments in wastewater disposal, road construction as well as in kindergartens and schools. In view of the impending change in the energy sector, the municipality plans to convert the local heating network from gas to sustainable energy sources such as geothermal energy or hydrogen. Such projects are part of the ongoing effort to improve the quality of life of citizens and at the same time contribute to climate protection.

Future and volunteering

Although he is retiring, Gerstlauer will not hand over all of his responsibilities. He aims to enjoy his retirement with his wife, with a new focus on travel. Special mention also goes to the village shop in Durlangen, which serves as an example of solidarity and civic engagement, but currently needs some support.

In a detailed look at his time, Gerstlauer emphasized that his successors are continuously well positioned with the current projects. “I don’t see myself as an advisor, but I like to share information about the current state of affairs,” he says. In addition, the planned establishment of a children and family center is highlighted as a clear priority in the education sector, which should help the community to proactively meet future challenges.

Klaus Gerstlauer's farewell will certainly not go unnoticed in Durlangen. He leaves visible traces in the infrastructure and community life, as well as an awareness of the importance of volunteer work and shared responsibility. His extremely committed term of office culminated in a positive development of civic engagement and effective cooperation with citizens. Remzeitung reports that Gerstlauer has not forgotten to set limits and realistically assess resilience, something that everyone who works in similar positions should also take with them. The change in Durlangen continues, and who knows what course will now be set?