The “minimarathon” in the city council ended at midnight on Tuesday 23 April 2024, which disposed of an important quantity of agenda items, many of which were motions, which had accumulated during the political and administrative activity of Varese.
After the session of 17 April which dealt with, among others, the tax on cross-border workers and the security issue and which also partly included the discussion of the motions and agendas postponed by the previous council, last night’s session concluded the discussion of the remaining agendas and addressed some particularly important issues for the city administration, such as the sports centre Lissago and the Tari.
OPENING STATEMENTS
First of all, as usual, there were the opening statements, which saw several important interventions by the councillors.
“Dedicate a place in the city to Ovidio scopala and Cornelio Roella”
She was the first to speak Luisa Oprandi (PD), who wanted to anticipate the motions that the next council will present. Both concern the naming of places or streets after Varese residents which have meant a lot for the city and risk being forgotten. The first concerns the naming of a street or place near the castle of Belforte a Ovidio Cazzola architect with a strong civil and cultural commitment who was also, during his life, councilor and president of Italia Nostra. Cazzola was very close to the Belforte Castle and worked to keep alive the importance of that place for Varese. The second proposal, which he will share with the councilor Guido Bonoldi (We work for Varese), is to name a place or a street near the Circolo hospital Cornelio Roellacardiologist and first head of cardiology at the Varese hospital.
The praetorian register doesn’t work, the report to the council
Then she spoke Matteo Bianchi (League), which underlined what appears to be only a small technical problem but which is also, instead, a problem of transparency and civility: for almost a month now (since March 26th, ed.) the online praetorian registerin fact the first municipal information and administrative transparency tool, it does not workand it is therefore not possible for citizens to access the information that the administration must make known: from the publication of marriages to traffic ordinances, from the decisions of the council to the decisions of the departments.
See again in the square the match that gave Varese Basketball its star, on the day of its 25th anniversary
The advisor Stefano Angei (Lega) has instead presented a proposal that can excite fans of the Varese basketball: that see the legendary match that brought the Roosters to stardom in the square, on May 11th, in the evening of 25th anniversary, perhaps in Piazza Monte Grappa or in the Estensi Gardens. An intriguing proposal, which sees “the hand” of the former councilor Marco Pintiand who knows if it will be collected.
The councilor Barbara Bison (Lega) instead underlined the situation ofHippodrome«A reality to be protected as a piece of Varese’s history, but which at the same time needs to be revised and rethought, with a new look that makes it attractive».
Finally the advisor Domenico Esposito (Polo delle Libertà) highlighted the problems reported to him by citizens, as is now tradition: in this session he recalled the road leak that has been in via Francesco Redi in Cartabbia for a year and a half, the clogged manholes throughout the neighborhood of Capolago, with the risk of being flooded by a water bomb, and Via San Carlo in Lissago to be resurfaced because it is very degraded.
ITEMS ON THE AGENDA
The expansion of the Lissago padel has been rejected again
The first and most well-known topic of debate of the evening, however, was the first point on the agenda: that of redevelopment of the sports area in Lissago: the president of the urban planning commission presented the unitary project which aimed to greatly expand, as well as redevelop, the already existing padel field Domenico Marasciulo (PD). A debate with an obvious outcome, given that the project had already been rejected by the urban planning commission, but which nevertheless saw many interventions which, especially from the minority, regretted the fact that it had not been possible to accommodate the requests of some young and enthusiastic entrepreneurs , with the legitimate objections of the citizens’ committee which opposed the expansion. Final result: rejected by majority, but with a larger majority than normal, considering that some of the minority councilors voted against the expansion.
The second item on the agenda, the vote on the management report of the municipal administration for the financial year 2023: here is the councillor Cristina Buzzetti he underlined the excellent result of the budget after the deficit was covered, so much so that the current statement of the Municipality sees “a surplus of around 4 million euros which will be used for maintenance and works for the city and the neighbourhoods”. Aside from the comments of Luca Boldetti (Polo delle Libertà) which for the centre-right has always “picked fleas” in the administration accounts, there was nothing else to do but vote, and the management report was approved by a majority.
Tari causes discussion
The vote on the was also quick new TARI regulation, approved with 21 votes in favor and 8 abstentions, therefore with no votes against: in reality only some technical variations were to be voted on which did not create any type of debate. The tariffs and the amounts expected for 2024 have created greater debate: if for the municipal administration – to report there was Cristina Buzzettibudget councilor – the changes were almost non-existent, for the minority councillor Luca Boldetti the increase, starting from the new management, has been constant and absolutely needs to be kept under control. But even in this case the majority prevailed and the tariffs were approved.
No baby card, voucher for those having a second child rejected
The Council also examined three motions and agendas previously registered and not “disposed of” in the city council meeting of 17 April: but first of all, the subject of debate was the proposal to “Baby Card Varese“, presented by Councilor Angei: the one-off 200 euro bonus to be granted at birth starting from the second child and to Varese residents who have been resident in the city for more than ten years was considered by members of the majority to be “unpleasant”, “mean” and even ” misogynistic” as it was conceived. Several also commented that to promote the birth rate more than 200 euros (“two months of diapers, if all goes well” commented Rossella Dimaggio) support policies would be needed. The messages of support for the “message” of the other members of the minority were useless: the baby card did not pass.
Assange ready to become a citizen of Varese
Two agendas that have been ongoing since March 26th were also discussed: the first, that of the councilor Maria Grazia D’Amico (Fellow Citizen Project)signed together with Dino De Simone (Fellow Citizen Project) and Luca Paris (Mixed Group, 5 Stars) which asked the council to commit to the honorary citizenship for Julian Assange, was approved with 19 votes in favor, 2 against and 4 abstentions, amidst the applause of some supporters who waited until almost midnight to hear the response to the request. The second, from the councilor Helin Yildiz (PD) “For a Europe of solidarity, proximity and without vetoes” provoked a single debate: whether or not it was appropriate to debate similar topics in the City Council. In conclusion, the motion was approved, and at exactly midnight the city council meeting ended.
