Mayor works from a plastic table and chair following seizure

CHP Döşemealtı Mayor Menderes Dal, whose office furniture, including his desk and chair, was seized and taken to a warehouse after a foreclosure order was executed, said, "We were not born in executive offices. We will bring the services we promised to Döşemealtı one by one." Following the seizure, which included his official desk, Dal continues his work in an office re-furnished with a Döşemealtı rug and plastic tables and chairs.

The day before yesterday, in an enforcement proceeding initiated by a company that could not collect its receivables from the municipality, all items in the office of the CHP Döşemealtı Mayor were loaded onto a truck and taken to a warehouse. Shortly after taking office, Döşemealtı Mayor Menderes Dal and his administration hung a banner at the entrance of the municipal building displaying the financial statement they inherited from the previous administration, led by fellow CHP member Turgay Genç, who had managed the municipality for two terms. The banner informed citizens that the municipality's total debt, including pending liabilities, debts to tradesmen and contractors, personnel, expropriation, institutional debts, and loans, amounted to 1 billion 421 million 480 thousand 557 Turkish Lira and 58 kuruş. The banner was removed following statements from former mayor Turgay Genç and the CHP Antalya Provincial Presidency.

Following the seizure, which included his official chair, Döşemealtı Mayor Menderes Dal made statements in his office, which was re-furnished with a Döşemealtı rug and plastic tables and chairs.

'THE OTHER FIRM WAS PREFERRED DESPITE A BID AT HALF THE PRICE'

Highlighting that an asphalt tender worth 122 million TL was awarded to another company owned by the same asphalt firm that executed the foreclosure on March 21, 10 days before the election, Dal said, "On March 21, 10 days before the election, the Döşemealtı Municipality signed a 122 million TL asphalt tender with another company belonging to the relevant asphalt firm. We explained the situation to this company, stating that we had no money to pay and that 'we do not have a road ready for hot asphalt paving where the infrastructure, sewage, natural gas, ASAT, and Telekom works are completed.' They insisted on continuing with this tender. Another company that participated in the same tender offered a price of 63 million TL. It was almost half the price, yet the other one was preferred. We told them we could not sustain this. We tried to explain, but in the end, they resorted to this path," he said.

'THERE IS A DEBT OF 1.5 BILLION TL'

Stating that the same company had previously received tenders from the municipality through 3 different firms, Dal said, "This company has 3 separate firms. It has done work for the Döşemealtı Municipality many times before. Most recently, it had a receivable of around 70 million TL. For some reason, the foreclosure was executed before the final tender was signed on March 21. This foreclosure is related to debts from the past. We inherited the debt with the understanding that continuity is essential in the state. After becoming mayor, we requested our financial statement. As of April 1, Döşemealtı had a debt of approximately 1.5 billion TL; we were faced with such a picture. This figure has now increased with interest. In addition, our 32 neighborhoods had pending services that needed urgent resolution. We started by establishing financial discipline, primarily by observing the income-expenditure balance."

'I COMMUTE TO THE MUNICIPALITY IN MY OWN VEHICLE'

Stating that they have resorted to some austerity measures within the financial discipline plan they prepared after taking office, Mayor Dal said, "We achieved significant savings by reducing the number of service vehicles from 43 to 18. These were being used as rentals and privately by employees and certain directors. We reduced the number to what is necessary for the municipality. I have not used an official vehicle or a driver for 4.5 months. I commute to the municipality in my own car, and I don't have a bodyguard anyway. We started these efforts long before the Savings Circular measures. Of course, during this process, creditors related to the 1.5 billion TL debt left over from the previous administration began to come and go. We talked to them and explained our situation. Our employees had 2.5 months of outstanding payments from the previous period. These efforts are necessary for services to continue," he said.

'WE WERE NOT BORN IN EXECUTIVE OFFICES'

Stating that they inherited the debt with the logic that continuity is essential in the state and that they explained their situation to the creditor firms, Dal said, "Yes, we took on this debt; the debt is ours, this administration's. We are temporary, the institution is permanent. We had meetings with creditors saying, 'We will pay this debt with the savings we will make in the coming periods, let's talk, but give us some time.' We also had meetings with the firm that carried out the foreclosure. We explained the same things, saying, 'We informed the Press Advertisement Agency and put one of our real estate properties up for sale. We have started the legal process. Please be patient.' Due to our nature and character, we have been striving for 4.5 months to maintain transparent and populist municipalism. I think this scared people a little. Therefore, these foreclosures do not cause us trouble in the coming process. On the contrary, they increase our excitement and motivation. We were not born in executive offices. We created the office; we have our chairs and our table. We will continue to work here and bring the services we promised to Döşemealtı one by one," he said.

'THIS MONEY IS NATIONAL WEALTH'

Stating that the 122 million TL tender made 10 days before the election was carried out by saying 'various locations,' Dal said, "We formed a commission regarding this. As a result of a report, it was determined that there were no such locations. It is not possible for us to show a location as a result of the work done by the municipality's engineers. We do not find it right to pave asphalt, then have it dug up 6 months later for ASAT work, then dug up for Telekom work, then dug up for sewage work. This money is national wealth. Let the infrastructure be completed, let the hot asphalt be poured, and let it not be touched for 20-25 years. We are trying to ensure coordination. We brought the relevant units together. For example, if ASAT is going to do sewage work, we are trying to coordinate it so that other institutions can also do their missing work there," he said.

'780 DECARES OF LAND SOLD IN 10 YEARS'

Underlining that they are trying to be sensitive, careful, and most importantly, transparent in every matter, Döşemealtı Mayor Menderes Dal said, "Döşemealtı Municipality is not a municipality with high income. 780 decares of land have been sold in the last 10 years. 85-90 shops have been sold. An attempt was made to provide a cycle in this way. The municipality's income is obvious, but we have real estate, and we have put it up for sale. We have a tender on the 28th. We will clear our path with such savings. We will catch our breath, so to speak. From now on, we will ensure sustainability by observing the income-expenditure balance. This is not a difficult thing. As long as this will can be implemented with determination. We are comfortable with this. I say it again, we will gradually, step by step, realize the services we promised to our people in Döşemealtı. My only request is a little patience, and we need time," he said.

News Source: İHA