Albstadt elects new mayor: Who will take over after Hollauer?

Albstadt elects new mayor: Who will take over after Hollauer?

The city of Albstadt is facing an exciting, difficult time, as the personnel carousel is turning vigorously. On Thursday at 5:30 p.m., the members of the local council are invited to a meeting in the town hall to deal with three important personal matters, including the election of a successor for construction mayor Udo Hollauer, who is packing his bags for a move to Sigmaringen. Hollauer, who has held a responsible position for almost eleven years, recently applied to resign from his civil service position, which the local council unanimously accepted in April, in order to be closer to his family and to seek new professional challenges. His last day of work in Albstadt is at the end of June and he will begin a new phase of his life in Sigmaringen as a city architect. Schwäbische reports that ...

Two candidates for the coveted successor are on the agenda at the meeting: Axel Mayer and Roland Schmidt. Mayer, currently head of the city planning department, is known for his projects that emphasize clear community development and honest communication. On Facebook he said: “For clear municipal development and reliable, honest communication.” Schmidt, on the other hand, can look back on his experience as a city architect in Bad Saulgau and, in addition to a passion for spatial and environmental planning, also brings with him local political know-how from Gröbenzell. Who will ultimately win the race remains to be seen – the decision will be made on Thursday!

Events in the local council

The coming meeting promises to be interesting, and not just on a personnel level. Philipp Kalenbach from the FDP and Manuela Heider from the Free Voters have also submitted applications for dismissal from the local council. Kalenbach has now been active for 26 years and Heider for 21 years, which makes their decision all the more remarkable. Felix Gminder, the replacement for the FDP, died in July 2024, and Johannes Schlegel, the next replacement, is leaving due to his move from Albstadt. Frank Otterbach will be the replacement for the FDP, while Dr. Matthias Brauchle will move up in the Free Voters faction. The personnel changes will certainly influence the political colors in Albstadt.

Udo Hollauer and the mayoral election

But it's not just the successor in the construction sector that is causing excitement - Udo Hollauer is also throwing his hat into the ring for the office of mayor and is aiming to succeed Klaus Konzelmann. During his time as building mayor, he not only got to know the city inside and out, but also perceived the needs of the citizens in all parts of the city. The upgrading of Ebingen's city center and the redesign of the lower suburbs are just some of the plans that he would like to implement as mayor. The application period for the election begins on November 26th and ends on February 6th. Hollauer plans to use his annual vacation after the election campaign to actively start the election campaign and have many conversations with citizens. Schwarzälder Bote reports that ...

In a larger context, it becomes clear how important citizen participation is in such decision-making processes. In many municipalities, the aim is to involve citizens in reforms at an early stage, which promotes dialogue and the implementation of concerns. Similar approaches to those in Rhineland-Palatinate, where citizens were involved in the planning, could also be important for Albstadt. Such initiatives help to anchor citizens' will in politics and thus strengthen trust in local politics. The Federal Agency for Civic Education describes how...