Garda Community Row: Mayors Challenge Funding and Management

The first hurdle for Giuseppe Mongiello, newly elected president of the Comunità del Garda, has already arisen. The mayor of Toscolano Maderno, Paolo Elena, has decided not to pay any more membership fees, asserting that “the type of management of the Comunità is absolutely inconsistent.” He communicated this through a letter addressed to all his colleagues: Brescia (Desenzano, Limone, Moniga, Padenghe, Puegnago, San Felice, Soiano, Gardone Riviera, Manerba, Polpenazze, Salò, Sirmione, Tignale, Tremosine, Vallio Terme, and Montichiari, the most recent locality to join), Mantova (Medole, Ponti sul Mincio, Volta, Cavriana, Monzambano, Solferino), Trento (Nago Torbole, Tenno, Arco, Riva), and Verona (Bardolino, Caprino, Affi, Brenzone, Cavaion, Malcesine, San Zeno di Montagna, Valeggio, Costermano, Pastrengo, Torri) to the Mountain Community, Apt (tourist agencies), Provincial Administrations, Chambers of Commerce, Garda Uno Consortium, the airport company “Catullo“, the Natural Park of the Mincio, and the Adige Reclamation Consortium. “After acknowledging the absolutely inconsistent management style intended for the Garda Community,” Elena wrote, “I am instructing the Accounting Office of my municipality to suspend the payment of the annual membership fee. At the next meeting, I will present to the council the possible withdrawal.” Mongiello was caught off guard. He responded that he was surprised, particularly by the motivation. “I wish to clarify that a general assembly of the Community is being convened (in Bardolino on March 10), which will include, besides my strategic report, the change to the 2001 budget forecast and the annual report for the past year,” states the new president. “To foster a collegial and shared approach to the program, I am completing a series of meetings with institutions and economic operators (provincial presidents, chamber of commerce presidents, mayors, trade associations, Apt).” “The three executive meetings held in December and January,” Mongiello recalls, “were dedicated to necessary internal reorganizations and vital issues such as traffic, water quality and quantity, coordination of major tourism and cultural events, and unified tourism promotion in Italy and abroad. Based on all this,” the president emphasizes, “I find it quite difficult to understand the total inconsistency of my management, not because I consider it susceptible to criticism or censure, but solely because I have not yet had the opportunity to present my administration’s program to the assembly, just over two months after my election. The Bardolino assembly will constitute the first step toward necessary discussions among mayors, the president, and the executive. I am available to meet with Elena to evaluate the matter calmly and objectively, providing all necessary information.” Among recent activities, Mongiello has met officials from Regione Lombardia and the President of the Fondazione Cariplo, former senator Giuseppe Guzzetti, to request contributions for establishing an archival system. He is actively working to set up the schedule for the summer festivals; he obtained approval from the Ministry of Finance for the “Garda Lottery,” which will be reprised in August-September, likely linked to the Centomiglia Cup. There have also been statements about 45 bis (undertaking all useful initiatives, including the approval of a specific national law that, in case of prolonged closure, declares a state of emergency akin to a natural disaster, thus assisting the affected economic operators) and the Gardesana Orientale (closure to truck transit from March 15 to the end of October, to be requested from the Minister of Public Works, the Prefect of Verona, the Government Commissioner of Trento, and the respective provincial presidents).