The heads and deputy heads of municipalities from both the Rivne and Ternopil Oblasts visited Lysets, Dolyna and Horodenka municipalities as part of the experience exchange visit "Effective Operation of Utility Companies in Municipalities", arranged by the U-LEAD with Europe Programme.
The experience of Lysets municipality is to create from scratch and support the effective operation of utility companies (hereinafter — UCs) that can perform tasks using local resources: from the raw materials and works to the local staff. The guests visited two successful municipal institutions: the local fire brigade and the local hospital, which in a few years has gone from being threatened with liquidation to a capable medical facility.
"At the municipal level, we do our best to manage our utilities, develop our own capacities and be maximally autonomous," said Anatoliy Lushchak, head of the Lysets settlement, during the meeting.
On the second day they visited Dolyna municipality. Dolyna is called the capital of energy efficiency. The guests visited one of the pre-schools and got acquainted with the energy-efficient technologies that can save significant energy costs, as well as the work of Kommunhosp and Vodokanal utilities.
The key point in the activities of the utility institutions of Dolyna municipality is that efficient management relies on calculations of the investment return and the cost of operations. In particular, utility companies in the housing sector perform many jobs and provide services on their own, costing significantly more to procure.
Maksym Chopey, Decentralisation and Local Self-Government Adviser of the U-LEAD with Europe Regional Office in Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast, named five key practices used in Prykarpattia municipalities:
"Focus on the management of utility institutions and their decision-making autonomy, introduction of energy-efficient measures in utility companies, investments to develop the utilities' capacities and maximise their potential, solving local problems on their own through local resources, as well as considering public opinion when allocating budget funds."
The heads and deputy heads of local authorities spent the final day of the visit to study the experience of Horodenka municipality, in particular, the work of the Utility Fund. The municipality also shared its know-how on allocating budgets for starosta districts on landscaping and waste management works performed by Horodenka-Zhytloservis UC in 40 settlements. Their size is determined depending on the population, and they include works proposed by starostas or public councils under starostas.
"This is called local democracy. We enable people on the ground to make their own decisions, to negotiate what should be implemented in their villages, and to propose to the city council the appropriate decision. On the other hand, in this manner, we lay the groundwork for decisions supported by the residents," says Bohdan Kobylianskyi, head of Horodenka municipality.
To finish the busy day, the guests visited the Perlyna Prydnistrovia Children's Recreation Centre near the village of Mykhalche and took a photo in the heart of the Dniester Canyon. And naturally, they shared their impressions of the experience.
"Starting from 2021, Velyka Omelyana municipality has been in a partnership with Lysets municipality. We had to postpone several joint projects in education, culture, and solid waste management due to the martial law. But we look forward to continuing our cooperation. I was impressed by the work of project managers and teams both in Dolyna and Horodenka municipalities, who attract funds from charitable foundations and foreign donors and establish international relations. I also became interested in the practice of Horodenka municipality to involve residents in decision-making on budget works in starosta districts. I wish to implement something similar in our municipality," said Alla Karpiuk, head of the Velyka Omelyana village council in Rivne Oblast.
Another participant from Ternopil Oblast noted the importance of implementing project management at all levels in the municipality:
"Such meetings are primarily important for the opportunity to communicate professionally with those who have managed to do something better. When you have a question, you can immediately get a recipe from someone who was successful. The most memorable thing about these days in Lysets, Dolyna and Horodenka municipalities is the focus on teamwork and project management. Looking ahead, when Ukraine starts recovery and reconstruction, the project approach should come first. Municipality cannot succeed without it. I appreciate the U-LEAD with Europe Programme for the opportunity to exchange experience and see first-hand the work of other municipalities," shared his impressions of the visit Serhiy Maksymchuk, deputy head of the Pochayiv City Council of Ternopil Oblast.