Amazon deal scandal: Mayor under criticism!

Amazon deal scandal: Mayor under criticism!

There is currently a stir in Maintal surrounding the sale of part of the West industrial estate in Bischofsheim, which was acquired by AWS, a subsidiary of Amazon. This purchase concerns an area of ​​approximately 6.2 hectares that was previously offered by the Hospital of the Holy Spirit Foundation. The plans stipulate that only 20 percent of the area will be used for a data center; The city, on the other hand, also wants to create space for small and medium-sized companies. The mayor Monika Böttcher is criticized because neither the city council nor the first city council were informed before the contract was concluded, as hanauer.de reports.

A corresponding file inspection committee was convened to clarify the sales process and the inadequate disclosure of information. First City Councilor Karl-Heinz Kaiser is particularly affected, as he only found out about the change in ownership three months after the contract was signed. As op-online.de reports, he expressed his regret about the late information and complained that the city had no opportunity to exercise its legal right of first refusal during the sale.

The legal framework

What does the right of first refusal actually mean? It is a legal right that allows the municipality to enter into a sales contract in order to acquire land or real estate. This right is intended to ensure that a municipality can influence the development of its area, especially in urban development projects. According to the KommunalWiki, the right of first refusal can only be exercised if a legally binding development plan is available.
In this case, however, the city's right of first refusal was deemed not to be applicable because AWS had met the required urban planning conditions and the city could not raise the purchase price.

Additionally, Böttcher stated that they had originally planned to lease the area, but in the end it was decided to get the highest price. This decision not only put the mayor in a controversial position, but also sparked skepticism and criticism from the public. Inadequate communication from the city administration was discussed in the committee meetings, which led to the appointment of the file inspection committee.

Outlook for the future

An information event by the new owner was scheduled for June 11th to inform the population about the plans for the commercial area. However, many committee members have already canceled their participation, which does not ease the already tense situation. The agreement, which requires the new owner to limit use to 20 percent of the space for data centers, raises questions about their subsequent commitment.

The development and progress of this matter will continue to be monitored closely. It remains to be seen how the city administration and the citizens of Maintal will adapt to the changed conditions in the coming weeks. The current discussion about the design of the commercial area shows once again how important open communication and transparent administrative processes are.