Although the future of their jobs may be in jeopardy, it's business-as-usual for local mayors as they keep a sharp eye on Athens to see if there are any signs of life in the Government's much-ballyhooed Kallikratis Plan.

Although Prime Minister Yiorgos Papandreou is urging rapid implementation of the plan, which is intended to consolidate all local municipalities into a few larger ones, with, of course, newly-elected officials, many mayors, as reported in the February edition of The Khronicles, are skeptical about how fast such a major government restructuring can come about.

Meanwhile, mayors Vangelis Sisamakis of Alikarnassos, Yiorgos Nikolakakis of Gouves, Yiorgos Danelakis of Hersonissos and Kostas Lagoudakis of Malia were anxious to talk about the accomplishments of their first three years in office.

The key question we asked was: As you enter the final year of this term, do you feel you've achieved your goals and fulfilled your campaign promises?

"We not only fulfilled the promises, but we also built the bases for important future work and promoted solutions for the improvement of our citizens' daily life," Mr. Sisamakis said. "Also, we helped to bring relief to minority groups based on a complete strategic plan."

The Alikarnassos mayor added that the prosperity of all residents has been improved by providing services in the following fields: social policy, education/culture/sports, and economic growth and employment.

Other accomplishments pointed out by Mr. Sisamakis throughout the municipality are the work on the waterfront, the maintenance of the road network, the aesthetic upgrading of villages like Prassas and Kallithea and the construction of the Traffic Education Park.

Park for Traffic Education

Gouves Mayor Nikolakakis said that he began his term with a thorough research of his municipality with a goal toward highlighting its many problems.  

"Afterwards, we did the feasibility studies, and all this was done in a period where no money existed beyond the normal municipal budgets," he said. "Now we deem ready to finally qualify for the Fourth Community Framework Support Program. However, it has not as yet begun to fund its programs, such as the biological cleaning facilities and various other studies concerning waterfront and inner village communities.

"What we did complete, however, is the land-planning for the Gouves Municipality, which took a considerable amount of time and effort," he added. "We worked hard for three years because this includes city planning, as well as that of rural regions, where we had to take under consideration zoning for many uses, from industrial to farming to green zoning to animal farming."

Mayor Nikolakakis said this was important work because it outlines where villages can extend and on what scale, without degrading the environment.

"And city planning for Gouves and Kokkini Hani has advanced noticeably," he pointed out.  "Also, all the studies of biological cleanings were completed. The next step is the actual structure. This of course required purchasing land, environmental studies, planning of networks and often through regions with no city plan."

Mr. Danelakis, who only became Hersonissos mayor last summer when he was tapped to fill the office vacated by Spiros Danellis, was a bit taciturn in his reply.

 

Excavations at the Roman Theatre
antiquity in Hersonissos

"There were objectives that have truly been achieved and others where the foundations have been built and now are entering the realization stage," he said.

Malia Mayor Lagoudakis said the basic principle of our municipal majority party, "Municipal Prospects," governing the Malia Municipality the last eight years, is the equally balanced growth of our villages of Malia, Mohos (Stalida) and Krasi with solidarity and social unity.

"During this period, some exceptionally important works were realized in the management of solid and liquid waste, such as the construction of three biological cleaning plants in Malia, Mohos and Krasi," he emphasized.

Biological cleaning in Malia

He also pointed to the work on the water supply, sewage and rainwater systems.

"As a matter of fact, within 2010 the sewage networks begin in Stalida after their induction in the treasury programs of the Environment Ministry to the sum of seven million euros," he said.

Mr. Lagoudakis said that with the operation of HYTA since 2003, and with the additional installations that were created, a final solution was given to the management of litter.

"We believe that a big part of our pre-election promises have been materialized, without saying that other shortages don't exist," he stated. "And keep in mind, we're talking about a region which has experienced an uncontrollable build-up and tourist growth from 1980." 

The other key question we asked the mayors was: In the event the Kallikratis Plan is not implemented by November, will you run for re-election?  

"Whether I will be a candidate again doesn't only depend on me," Mayor Sisamakis said. "However, my wish is to be a candidate for another four-year term, considering that in that period my political philosophy will be clarified regarding the growth of Alikarnassos which I have the honour to serve."

Gouves Mayor Nikolakakis said that if the municipality continued as is, then the answer is a definite yes! Adding, "I want to finish the job I started."

Hersonissos Mayor Danelakis said: "I consider the consolidation of all municipalities into a few large ones to be a sure thing. A candidacy wouldn't interest me. However I will be present in the processes."

Malia Mayor Lagoudakis said:  "In the new challenge of the times, I am at the disposal of the events and the constituency."