Mayor Rudolf Jacob had invited the members of the municipal council to a meeting at City Hall on Thursday, September 24, 2026.
First on the agenda was the supplementary budget for 2026. Mayor Jacob explained that it had become necessary to draw up a supplementary budget because, since the original budget was prepared in early 2025, deviations from the initial plan had arisen. In particular, the inclusion of €2.136 million in grants from the state’s Regional Future Program had been taken into account here. Overall, the supplemental budget shows a deterioration of €50,000.00 compared to the original estimate in the operating budget, resulting in an annual surplus of just under €300,000.00. In the capital budget, the balance of ordinary and extraordinary receipts and disbursements amounts to 1.25 million €. In the investment sector, there is a borrowing requirement of 4.726 million €. The contribution rate from the association of municipalities remains unchanged at 54%. The projected equity at the end of the 2026 fiscal year is €27,628,000.00. The mayor reported that both the Main and Finance Committee and the local mayor had reviewed the draft budget in a preliminary session. Both bodies unanimously recommended that the resolution on the supplemental budget ordinance, including the supplemental staffing plan and the supplemental budget, be adopted. Without further discussion, the municipal council unanimously approved the 2026 supplemental budget as presented.
This was followed by the awarding of 7 contracts for energy consulting services for non-residential buildings. The rationale behind this contract award is the administration’s approach to conducting a corresponding review of all buildings that house workspaces or provide care services, with the goal of heating these buildings as efficiently as possible in the future and, above all, ensuring that temperatures do not become too high during the summer months. Seven buildings were identified as the top priority for this initiative. Fee proposals have now been received for these buildings, ranging from €4,926.00 to €11,804.00. The respective BAFA grants, which amount to 50% (up to a maximum of €4,000.00), will be deducted from these amounts. Following a brief discussion of the matter, the municipal council unanimously decided to award the seven contracts to the firm Schaumlöffel in Enkenbach.
This was followed by a status report on the implementation of the Regional Future Program. Ina Kirschbaum, head of the Finance Department at the municipal association administration, provided council members with an overview of the measures that had already been completed, those currently being implemented, and those that had not yet begun. She explained that, overall, implementation was well on schedule and that no problems were expected with regard to the three-year implementation period. It is anticipated that all measures will be implemented by the end of 2027.
In conclusion, Dominik Lothschütz, head of the Citizen Services Division, presented a status report on trends in refugee numbers and refugee housing in the Winnweiler Administrative Association. Mr. Lothschütz discussed developments since the last status report in the fall of 2023. He explained that the situation in this area had eased significantly over the past year. The housing stock had also been adjusted accordingly. Mr. Lothschütz answered any questions that arose. Mr. Lothschütz also noted that, as of November 1, 2026, all benefits for asylum seekers in the Winnweiler Municipal Association will be processed via the so-called payment card. The Winnweiler Municipal Association will thus be the first municipal association in the Donnersberg district to fully implement this transition.
In closing, Mayor Jacob noted that, due to changes in the number of children, it had become clear during the renovation and expansion of the Imsbach daycare center that building a fourth group would not be necessary. Plans are currently being adjusted accordingly. As soon as the revised plans are available, they will be presented to the relevant committees.