Wedding-like fervour filling Viljandi Commune

Photo: Peeter Kümmel

After elections, 18 communes and towns will tie the knot. Postimees poked its nose into merger-preparations by four communes surrounding Viljandi town.

The park in front of Saarepeedi centre was filled with felled tree-branches, an area cleared for a memorial stone to stand as a witness of the tiny commune’s 22 years of history. These past years, Saarepeedi has been governed by a lady – Salme Koplikask.

The festivities knocking at the door, a 70-years-old Saarepeedi man was heard musing over his lot in life: born in Viljandi Commune, then a dweller of Uue-Võidu and Saarepeedi Communes, to die in Viljandi Commune – coming full circle. Namely, at the end of the «first Estonian era», a commune almost identical to the one now created spread itself around Viljandi.

At the other side of the town, in Paistu Commune, a female touch is also strongly felt. For 14 years, Ene Saar has been at the helm. On August 20^th, thirteen sorts of lilac were planted on the village square, a bench and a board presenting the commune’s 22-year history placed nearby.

No such beauty is to be found with the grooms – for 20 years, Pärsti has been presided over by Erich Palm, Viiratsi past four years under Sulev Kannimäe. Even so, all they have is nicely groomed: community centres, schools, kindergartens and other dowry.

Had the four-commune-merger happened over ten years ago – at the time the negotiations fist started in all earnestness, Viljandi Town then included, the picture would have been somewhat bleaker. Mr Palm thinks, however, that Viljandi Town would then have gotten its swimming pool... And the four have not buried the «include Viljandi» idea.

Anyway, investment priorities have carefully been negotiated. All have written down a number of roads; to these Pärsti, Saarepeedi and Viiratsi have added kindergartens, community centres and libraries.

«Should we get all this done, all these promised investment, in four years... that’ll be all, then» admitted the Viiratsi elder. None of the four having excessive debts to weigh down on the new creation’s budget of about €9m.

All four elders agree: main gain will not be the increased ability to cope; rather, it will be the enhanced competency of commune officialdom.

«Expert teams will emerge, which can hold councils together; and always, there will be replacements – in a small commune, should the social worker fall ill or have a vacation, there’s no specialist to fill in,» said Ms Saar.

As agreed in merger talks: all commune officials may keep their jobs – provided they are ready for extra and added (re)training, should the need arise.

«In a small commune, specialists are never overly abundant; there may be a redundancy of office staff,» mused Ms Koplikask. That would mean secretaries and cleaners. Even so, for the time being, all have been promised community level employment.  

When it comes to community elders, they have agreed to function as department heads – whether in economy, finance, education and culture, or social affairs. Also, every commune elder will be receiving a six-month termination-of-service compensation, calculated according to two years average salaries. In Saarepeedi, for instance, where the commune elder used, until this spring, earn below €1,000, and €1,400 for the past six months, the compensation will amount to about €7,000.  In Viiratsi, Paistu and Pärsti, the sum would be to the tune of €11,000. 

However, should one of the four rise to lead the new merged entity, he/she will forgo the compensation. Restitutions – including for those who opt to leave their posts – will be covered from the over €600,000 merger grant granted by the state.

Lion’s share of the sum goes to purchase and renovate a new community centre, located in Viljandi. For that, a building at Viljandi centre, Kauba St 9, has been chosen. Until the new house gets ready – good to access by all four circling the town – old facilities will be used. The current community building will not be left vacant.

Preparations have been completed; now, elections results remain to be seen. Mr Kannimäe, from Viiratsi, invited all to a joint election coalition called Viljandi Vald (Commune). Only the Pärsti council head hopped aboard.

At the Paistu elder initiative, a IRL list has been compiled, including Saarepeedi and Viiratsi council chairmen. Pärsti elder runs in soc dems list, Saarepeedi elder has put together a coalition called Vabad Vallakodanikud (Free Commune Citizens).

Ms Saar thinks the people would have had difficulty with all four elders of former communes running in the same list. In the opinion of Pärsti and Paistu elders, a competition could be organised t elect the new elder; in order to avoid inner tensions, the person should come from the outside. «Clearly, a single list will not get votes enough to rule alone,» said Mr Palm.

No list has kicked into campaign mood, as yet. The coalitions say they are not even planning campaign meetings. Even so, the «party list people» plan to hold rallies, in all four communes.

For inhabitants of the united entity, nothing much should change. «People who do not build, and who cope in life, have no reason to come to the governors,» said the Saarepeedi elder.

Viljandi Commune in numbers

Merging community    Population    Centre    Villages/Small towns

•    Pärsti    3,691    Jämejala village    1 small town, 26 villages

•    Viiratsi     3,609    Viiratsi small town    1 small town, 21 villages

•    Paistu    1,456    Paistu village    16 villages

•    Saarepeedi    1,216    Saarepeedi village    12 villages

Total:    9,972    Viljandi town    2 small towns, 75 villages

Viljandi Commune dowry: 8 schools (incl. Heimtali Manor School), 11 kindergartens, 13 libraries, 7 village- and community houses, 1 sports and leisure centre, 1 church, 3 social centres, 1 retirement home, SA Viljandimaa Hoolekandekeskus (social welfare centre, in cooperation with Viljandi town).

Estonian communes merging in 2013

•    Põlva Commune, in Põlva County: Põlva town and Põlva commune, 10,000 residents

•    Viljandi Commune, in Viljandi County: Pärsti, Viiratsi, Paistu and Saarepeedi communes, close to 10,000 residents

•    Kose Commune, in Harju County: Kose and Kõue communes, 7,300 residents

•    Audru Commune, in Pärnu County: Audru and Lavassaare communes, 6,000 residents

•    Hiiu Commune, in Hiiumaa: Kärdla town and Kõrgessaare commune, 5,000 residents

•    Lääne-Nigula Commune, in Lääne County: Risti, Taebla and Oru communes, 4,300 residents

•    Lüganuse Commune, Ida-Viru County: Püssi town, Maidla and Lüganuse communes, 3,400 residents

After the above mergers, 215 local governments remain in Estonia.

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Communes emerging at earlier and current mergers

Pärnu County:

• Halinga, 1996, 3,066 residents

• Saarde, 2005, 4,347 residents

• Vändra, 2009, 2,860 residents

• Audru, 2013, 6,000 residents

Viljandi County:

• Abja, 1998, 2,345 residents

• Karksi, 1999, 3,608 residents

• Suure-Jaani, 2005, 5,657 residents

• Viljandi Commune, 2013, ca 10,000 residents

Lääne-Viru County:

• Vihula, 1999, 1,955 residents

• Tamsalu, 2005, 4,068 residents

• Tapa, 2005, 8,338 residents

• Väike-Maarja, 2005, 4870 residents

Rapla County:

• Rapla, 2002, 9,579 residents

• Kohila, 2002, 6,950 residents

• Märjamaa, 2002, 6,959 residents

Harju County:

• Anija, 2002, 5,853 residents

• Kuusalu, 2005, 6,766 residents

• Kose, 2013, 7,300 residents

Lääne County:

• Lihula, 1999, 2,510 residents

• Lääne-Nigula, 2013, 4,300 residents

Põlva County:

• Räpina, 2002, 5,190 residents

• Põlva, 2013, 10,000 residents

Ida-Viru County:

• Jõhvi Commune, 2005, 12,573 residents

• Lüganuse, 2013, 3,400 residents

Saaremaa:

• Kaarma, 1999, 4,641 residents

Võru County:

• Antsla, 1999, 3,623 residents

Valga County:

• Otepää, 1999, 4,091 residents

Järva County:

• Türi, 2005, 10,143 residents

Hiiumaa:

• Hiiu Commune, 2013, 5,000 residents