Lauenen set an example: With Ruth Oehrli-Pekoll, the municipality will have the first female municipal president in the Saanenland from 2022. And it was the first municipality to approve the consultative vote on the detailed project “Gesundheit Simme Saane” with a hospital in Zweisimmen and to grant higher contributions to Gstaad Saanenland Tourismus and Gstaad Marketing.

76 voters (13.5%) attended the last municipal assembly chaired by Jörg Trachsel in mid-November. There were three names to choose from for his successor. But both vice-president Pascal Bangerter and municipal councillor Serge Jungi asked voters not to write their names on the ballot paper. They did so for professional and private reasons and “because there is a capable woman and we can make history with the first female president of the municipality”, said Jungi. Ruth Oehrli-Pekoll was elected president of the municipality and the municipal council with 67 votes in the first ballot.

Yes to the advisory healthcare vote
“Should the Gesundheitscampus Simme Saane with a hospital in Zweisimmen be worked out in depth and submitted to a binding referendum by the end of 2022 at the latest?” This question will be put to all municipalities in the Obersimmental-Saanen administrative district in a consultative vote. The municipality of Lauenen answered this question with an unanimous yes.

Contributions for tourism approved
For Gstaad Saanenland Tourismus (GST) and Gstaad Marketing GmbH (GM) there were applications for a total of CHF 352,500 for the next three years. So far, the annual contribution for GM amounted to CHF 82,000. GM requested an increase of CHF 10,000. Vice-president Pascal Bangerter explained that the strategy of Destination Gstaad aims to extend the early and late season in the medium term. Specifically, autumn is to be developed more strongly. With a large majority and one vote against, as well as a few abstentions, the assembly approved the annual commitment of CHF 82,500 plus an additional CHF 10,000 per year.

GST also asked for additional funds. The municipality of Lauenen cooperates well with GST, Bangerter emphasised. Much has been realised, but there is still potential. “It is important that we remain competitive as a destination, because the competition never sleeps,” Bangerter said. Without any dissenting votes, the assembly approved the annual commitment of CHF 25,000 for the time period 2022 to 2024.

Saanen and Gsteig postponed
The municipal assemblies of Saanen and Gsteig were scheduled for the beginning of December. Due to the recent developments, both municipalities were forced to cancel the assembly. The agenda items will therefore only be put to the vote by postal ballot in 2022

BASED ON AVS/ANITA MOSER