Municipal and Communal Office of Staszów
tel.: 15 864 83 05
fax: 15 864 83 04

1990 – present day

In March of 1990 "Goniec Staszowski" ("Staszów Messenger"), a monthly journal, published its first issue. In June of the same year, as a result of the first post-Communism local elections, Henryk Albera was chosen by the Town Council to become mayor of Staszów[52]. In 1991 a modern hotel "Gwarek" began functioning in the town Market Square. In August of that year, Museum of Land of Staszów was opened in an apartment located at John Paul II Street. In September 1991, the first independent elementary school of the Province was opened in Staszów.

In 1992 the Campus of Pedagogical University in Kielce officially inaugurated its operations in Staszów. November that year marked exactly 50 years since the holocaust in Staszów had been perpetrated by the Nazis. It was solemnly remembered and the victims were mourned at Staszów's Jewish cemetery. A memorial statue dedicated to the victims of the holocaust was unveiled. That statue's creation was an initiative of Jacek Goldfarb and the Staszów Cultural Society[53].

In August of 1993 the first issue of "Monitor Staszowski" ("Staszów Monitor"), a monthly informational journal of the Town Council, was published. The Staszów General Education High School received a patron that year: cardinal Stefan Wyszyński. In June of 1994 local government elections were held. Henryk Albera was re-elected as mayor. Andrzej Kruzel was nominated the president of Town Council.

In April of 1995 the 470th anniversary of Staszów receiving the status of a town was celebrated. In October of that year Elementary School No. 3 was put into operation at the "Wschód" housing estate.

In September of 1996 the 15th anniversary of Staszów Cultural Society was celebrated. A commemorative plaque dedicated to Hieronim Łaski was unveiled in the Municipal and Communal Office of Staszów as part of the anniversary celebrations.

In October of 1998 another local government elections were held. Henryk Albera was once again voted the mayor of Staszów. Lech Zalewski became the president of Town Council.

In January of 1999, as a result of an administrative reform in Poland, the previous 49 provinces were abolished and replaced with 16 new provinces. Furthermore, additional administrative units – the counties ("powiat" in Polish) – were formed. Staszów became the capital town of its own county - Staszów County - while also joining the newly formed Świętokrzyskie Province. Czesław Pargieła became the county governor, with Tadeusz Żmuda acting as the president of County Council. Staszowski County, which includes eight municipalities, had nearly 80 thousand residents in 1999, with almost 17 thousand living in Staszów.

In conjunction with the education reform of 1999, two middle schools were created in Staszów. In May of 2000, Ryszard Kaczorowski, who served as the last President of Poland in exile. In November of that year the "Millennium 2000" statue was unveiled in front of the Municipal and Communal Office of Staszów, and in December the new office of Staszów Forestry Management was opened.

In July of 2001 Staszów was hit by the Polish flood of Wisła basin. Staszówek neighborhood was flooded, especially the Szpitalna, Koszarowa, Krakowska and Oględowska streets. As a result of this natural disaster Staszów suffered tremendous losses, however it managed to recover.

In September of 2001 a sports and entertainment hall was ceremoniously opened to the public, at the "Wschód" housing estate. Moreover, the General Education High School was expanded, gaining new seminar rooms and its own sports hall.

Local government elections were held once again, in October of 2002 – this time voters could, for the first time, vote for their mayor by means of direct universal suffrage. Romuald Garczewski won that election. Town Council chose Stanisław Lech Zalewski as its president.

In October of 2004 the Campus of Economic Academy of Kraków inaugurated its academic year in Staszów. On that year, many projects were started by the town: construction of a new head office of County National Fire Department; extension and modernization of the County Governor's Office; extension of the Economic Schools' sports hall; regulation of river Czarna in town; and finally the renovation and repurposing of a former Disabled Cooperative "Jedność" building into the new District Court of Staszów's main office.

In 2005, Town Council formed the Sports and Recreation Center in Staszów. In the same year, soon after the death of Pope John Paul II, a chapel dedicated to his memory was created next to the Holy Spirit church. In 2006 Archbishop of Kraków Stanisław Dziwisz gave John Paul II's own chasuble to the chapel. In November of 2005 the expansion of Economic Schools was finished, adding new teaching rooms and a sports hall to the compound.

In the 2006 election, Andrzej Iskra became mayor of Staszów. Town Council picked Maciej Czesław Dyl as its president, who was later followed by Henryka Markowska and Kryspin Bednarczyk. Former mayor, Romuald Garczewski, became county governor. County Council picked Damian Sierant as its president.

During Police Day celebrations in 2007 policemen of Staszów received a decorative banner from the hands of deputy prime minister Przemysław Gosiewski. In November of that year, a commemorative plaque was unveiled, dedicated to the memory of Poles – "the just among world's nations" – who fell defending their country across the ages. In May of 2008 the new head office of County National Fire Department was put into operation during an official ceremony. In August, the Co-operative Bank building (Polish: Bank Spółdzielczy) was expanded.

In November of 2009 during the national project "Save Katyń from oblivion", Staszów's youth planted two "memorial oaks" dedicated to two Staszów teachers murdered in Katyń: captain Józef Jaron and lieutenant Jan Ignacy Wróblewski. The oaks were planted in Adam Bień Park.

By the end of 2009 there were 15 395 people living in Staszów.

In March of 2010 Bronisław Komorowski, who was Marshal of the Sejm at the time, visited Staszów. He attended a scientific conference discussing 20th anniversary of local authorities. On the 458th anniversary of Staszów receiving its municipal rights, Mint of Poland had manufactured special coins – "4 Stasze" – commemorating the occasion. Staszów Culture Center acted as the coins' issuer.

During another local government elections held in autumn of 2010, Romuald Garczewski regained his position as mayor of Staszów. Town Council once again designated Kryspin Bednarczyk as its president. Andrzej Kruzel was elected county governor with Damian Sierant becoming president of the County Council.

In years 2010-2011 many streets and sidewalks of "Północ" housing estate were renovated thanks to European Union's support; furthermore, Adam Bień Park was also refurbished and modified. The park received a Katyń memorial statue and the sculpture of its namesake, Adam Bień. "Zalew nad Czarną" ("The Czarna Bay") was opened for the public, and it's been a very popular spot ever since. As part of the National Local Road Reconstruction Program, many streets and sidewalks were renovated at "Ogrody" housing estate. The construction of Sports Center was already underway that year.

On May 5th 2011 Staszów's Holy Spirit church was elevated to the rank of Diocesan Sanctuary of Blessed John Paul II, pursuant to the decree of bishop Krzysztof Nitkiewicz from Diocese of Sandomierz. This decree was a very prestigious honor for the town[55].

Staszów is the seat of county and municipality autonomies. The town has a very well-developed urban infrastructure. Many of town and municipality's residents are employed by glassworks of Tadeusz Wrześniak, Sulfur Mines "Siarkopol" in Grzybów, Połaniec Electric Power Plant, and in numerous other medium-sized companies. Staszów has a strongly developed commercial and service network including several large supermarkets. Small and medium companies are very active, gathered in the Staszów Chamber of Commerce and in the Guild of Craftsmen and Other Entrepreneurs.

Staszów is the regional center of education. Three high schools (Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński General Education High School, John Paul II Economic Schools, and Stanisław Staszic School Complex), two middle schools, three elementary schools, several kindergartens and the Stanisław Moniuszko Public Music School function in the town.

The Staszów Culture Center is very active and versatile, alongside other organizations such as the Staszow Cultural Society, a branch of Polish Scouting and Guiding Association, FARMA Association and the Brotherhood of St. Anna.

Staszów's location among forests and lakes, and numerous impressive historic landmarked buildings in its vicinity make it a very interesting location for tourists.

Dariusz Kubalski Ph.D.

English translation by Michał Mróz

Footnotes:

[52] M. Zarębski, Staszów wczoraj i dziś…, p. 110
[53] A. Banasiewicz, Oni tu byli. Zarys dziejów społeczności żydowskiej Staszowie,/in:/ Staszowskie Zeszyty Popularno-Naukowe issue 1/2002, Staszów 2002, p. 61, D. Kubalski, Pod wspólnym niebem. Cmentarz żydowski w Staszowie, Staszów 2007, p.8
[54] A. Bazak, Kościół pod wezwaniem Ducha Świętego w Staszowie…,p. 57-58
[55] A. Bazak, Jan Paweł II w naszych sercach. Wybór prac plastycznych i literackich z rejonowych konkursów o Papieżu Polaku (2006-2011), Staszów 2012, p. 13

12-09-2016, Michał Mróz
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