Translated material
Isn't it time to bring back the mayor's post?
Loud scandal with new buildings on the street. Spekov, the “sluggishness” in clearing the city of snow and interruptions in garbage collection provoked criticism of the current power structure.
The opposition asks the question: to what extent has the introduced institution of city management justified itself?
What is the city unhappy with?
Throughout December and January, Biysk residents watched with bated breath the fate of the new residents of the experimental houses on the street. Spekova. Ice right in the apartments, sagging ceilings, peeling facades - you could make a series about the residents of new buildings in the style of "staying alive."
Back in the summer, the authorities assured journalists that houses built using Canadian technology are ultra-modern, and you can live in them even in the Far North. Officials reacted violently to timid attempts to doubt these assumptions. Like, if you don’t understand anything about construction, don’t get involved. Now the city administration is throwing up its hands.
The city manager, who is also the head of the city administration Nikolai Nonko, commented on the situation as follows: “When the facades were still being installed, we had concerns about the quality of the work being performed. However, the contractor, and this is the Novosibirsk company Novolit, assured us that everything It’s being done correctly. Apparently, the construction company has not yet developed this technology. All shortcomings will be eliminated at the expense of the contractor.” But the residents approached the regional authorities, threatened to sue and demanded not major repairs, but relocation to “regular” new buildings.
Another test of the strength of the new city management institution occurred in December, when the city was covered in snow and road workers could not cope with cleaning the streets. The city administration again referred to the contractors and promised to present more stringent conditions and impose more severe penalties during the competition next year. It was not possible to immediately stabilize the situation.
Opposition: City managers have already been abandoned in many cities
The topic of new buildings on the street. Spekov is followed on his blog by the head of the Communist Party faction of the City Duma, Andrei Nagaitsev. He initiates inspections by independent specialists, meets with residents, and takes part in commissions.
According to Andrei Nagaitsev, these and other urban problems clearly indicate the failure of the new form of governance.
“Moreover, it’s illegal,” he says. — The Constitution of the Russian Federation states that the main source of power is the people, who have the right to take part in the management of the city and decide who will be the head. In 2012, our faction initiated the return of elections for the head of the city, but was not supported by the city duma. At this time, in connection with the people's initiative, signatures are being collected for an appeal to return the elections. At the first Duma Committee on Legality and Local Self-Government, I will hand over the signatures and prepare the next appeal. Let's see how the Duma reacts to the opinion of city residents. The institute of city management has already been abandoned in many cities. This is a federal initiative: a corresponding bill is currently being considered in the State Duma.
Pros and cons
For a number of reasons, it has become a good form to remember with a kind word the former head of the city, Anatoly Mosievsky, during whose time money was attracted to the city under federal programs, roads were repaired and, in general, the city was improved.
Anatoly Mosievsky left his post during a high-profile trial regarding his official activities and received a suspended sentence. If a public rating had been compiled at that time, the head of the city would clearly have taken an unacceptably low place there. Meanwhile, remarks began to be heard more and more often: “Under Mosievsky, this would not have happened...” or even “Mosievsky is not enough for you.”
On the one hand, the tough owner could have foreseen the situation and, even before signing the acceptance certificate for houses according to Spekov, brought the same independent experts to the site. On the other hand, it should be noted that the city began to introduce new buildings in such numbers quite recently; before that there was a long period when the construction of apartment buildings was practically not carried out. Perhaps the city administration does not yet have the necessary experience.
Are we paying for a beautiful life now?
As the head of the city, Lidia Gromoglasova, has repeatedly emphasized, we must not forget that much of what was left as a legacy from the previous administration was done in debt, and now the city has to pay for a beautiful life. This is the leitmotif of every budget discussion, when it is necessary to direct money to repay loans, and not to solve current problems. Chairman of the Budget Committee Alexander Zorikh repeatedly reminded about accounts payable in the amount of 700 million, which the city is now actively repaying.
“As a result, today we are forced to tighten our belts to the limit.” Every leader wants the city to begin to sound when he is there. But you need to weigh the desired with the possible. Now we have to pay for everything built and done on credit,” stated Lidiya Gromoglasova in October 2012.
That is, the situation is ambiguous. But the question remains open: to what extent has the institute of city management justified itself? Is the city really missing a master?
There is no need to give harsh assessments
The business community is in no hurry to give harsh assessments of the activities of the authorities: neither past nor present.
General Director of the Altai food processing plant "Melenka-Ost" Oleg Sergeev:
— I don’t see much difference in the management system and I won’t risk assessing the activities of the past and current administrations. I can say one thing, the city is the same enterprise. This is a living organism where many business processes take place, which constantly need to be debugged, work within a limited budget and constant force majeure. We must understand that not all processes are accessible and visible to ordinary citizens, so it is never worth making harsh assessments.
The current administration is "raking up old rubble"
General Director of TV-COM, city Duma deputy Andrey Gorbunov:
— I don’t see any global changes due to the change in management structure. In fact, the same chairman of the city council and head of the city administration remained. Moreover, Nikolai Mikhailovich Nonko and Lidiya Afanasyevna Gromoglasova are working in the same direction, quite harmoniously, and this can only benefit the city. In fact, the current administration is clearing out old rubble. As for the snow piles, we have not seen snow in the city for more than 5 years and have not invested in the development of our own road services. And now this problem cannot be solved overnight. The main reason for the problem with houses on Spekova is legislative flaws. Unfortunately, within the framework of the law on auctions and bidding, the contractor who names the smallest amount wins. Not very clean businessmen take advantage of this gap in the legislation. This happened not only with houses on Spekova, but also with intra-block passages. Local authorities cannot influence this situation in any way. Moreover, all attempts to influence are strictly suppressed by law.
Adequate criticism: welcome and taken into account
The city administration takes criticism quite adequately and is open to dialogue. As Nikolai Nonko noted, he understands perfectly well that one cannot do without criticism. “Whoever is endowed with great powers is in great demand,” he noted.
Although, with this management system, it is more logical for the population to keep the demand from the deputies of the city duma, who choose the “business owner” and enter into a contract with him. It is within their power to terminate the contract if necessary. Apparently, the activities of the first city manager of Biysk suit them. But, based on federal trends, it is possible that the institute of city management in Russia will not stand the test of strength.
Back in the summer of 2011, the head of the Ministry of Regional Development, Viktor Basargin, stated in the press that the institute of city management was ineffective. “There has been virtually no mechanism introduced for city managers to be held accountable for the results of their work. That is, we seem to have divided power and removed responsibility from both one (the city manager) and the other (the head of the city),” he noted.