Kraków Mayor Łukasz Gibała has eliminated all six departments at city hall that were created under his predecessor. The ordinance on the office’s new structure was published Monday in the office’s Public Information Bulletin (Biuletyn Informacji Publicznej).
Eliminating the departments created by the former mayor was one of Gibała’s campaign promises. In his view, the structure that Aleksander Miszalski (KO, the Civic Coalition) introduced at the Kraków City Office (UMK) was unnecessary and generated needless costs.
The departments that were eliminated are: education, municipal affairs, the Kraków brand, social policy, civic affairs, and sustainable development.
At the UMK, the roles of those departments are to be filled by existing units and offices, including those for education and educational projects; municipal management and infrastructure; and social policy, equality and health.
The mayor’s ordinance takes effect on the day it was signed (Oct. 23), meaning the departments have already ceased to operate.
As of Monday, the directors of the eliminated departments are no longer carrying out their duties. City hall told the Polish Press Agency (PAP) that eliminating these positions will save the city about PLN 2.3 million a year. The directors have been given one month’s notice.
“Following the ordinance signed by the Mayor eliminating this tier of the management structure, personnel actions will be launched aimed at terminating the employment of persons holding the positions of department directors, or reassigning them elsewhere in the office’s structure, in accordance with applicable labor law,” city hall said. Personnel actions will also be taken – after an analysis of the tasks being carried out – with regard to other employees whose positions have no place in the revised structure of the city office.
According to Gibała, eliminating the departments will save the city money. Kraków is about PLN 9 billion in debt. According to the latest preliminary estimates by officials, nearly PLN 400 million is missing for current expenses through the end of the year. Funds are lacking for education, transportation and social assistance, among other things.
The new administration has commissioned a detailed analysis of the budget and the development of a plan that would make up the financial shortfall without resorting to loans, credits or bonds.
Gibała was sworn in as mayor of Kraków on Oct. 20. His term will last about two and a half years. Gibała won an early election held after residents voted in a May referendum to recall Miszalski from the office of mayor. (PAP)
