Citizens' dialogue in Sitzendorf: New ideas from Pranhartsberg

Citizens' dialogue in Sitzendorf: New ideas from Pranhartsberg

In the past few days, the new mayor Florian Hinteregger and his Vice Michael Fahn have taken a tour of the various towns in the Sitzendorf market town. The aim of this campaign was to record the concerns of the citizens and to inform about current developments. The event started in Roseldorf and ended last Sunday in the remote Pranhartsberg, the smallest place in the community with fewer than 50 inhabitants.

At this last station, almost half of the villagers came together. In the village house they had the opportunity to record their thoughts and wishes in writing. Note and pens were ready on a table so that the citizens could write down suggestions or symptoms and throw it in a box. "This form of direct citizen participation is intended to help make transparent decisions and to strengthen confidence in the community," said Hinteregger.

Citizen participation in focus

The initiative for the collection of wishes and ideas was well received. Many participants appreciated the opportunity to talk to their representatives directly. The mayor tour was not only a way to exchange information, but also a step towards a more active integration of the population into the local government.

Pranhartsberg was an extraordinary backdrop for the end of this series, since fewer than 50 people live in the small community. It was once again to be seen how important it is that the voices of the smaller towns are also heard, even if they only have a small number of residents.

The organizers also offered a little refreshment: sausages and drinks were ready to loosen up the meeting. This combination of an informal atmosphere and serious conversations about municipal concerns made the event series a valuable part of municipal interaction.

Florian Hinteregger and Michael Fahn hope that the ideas collected will find their way into the future planning of the community and contribute to improving the quality of life in the towns. Another goal is to organize similar events regularly in the future and to constantly promote citizen participation. Details on this initiative can be found in a detailed report on www.noen.at .