"We must be careful with public funds": in Théoule, the port of Figueirette is causing waves among the majority

They're supposed to be on the same boat, and form the same crew, even though the municipal majority is the result of a merger between two lists. But, within the Théoule municipal council, some elected officials are surreptitiously starting to blow another wind in the sails. As if they had already set sail for the 2026 municipal elections, while the captain, Georges Botella, intends to remain in charge. Particularly by bringing the Figueirette construction site to a safe harbor.

It was over a budgetary amendment for port works that the mayor saw cross-currents appear. Admittedly, the supplementary budget for La Figueirette had already been voted on in April. But "additional developments " require voting on additional lines of credit and payment, amounting to 90,000 euros. "This does not at all affect the port's budgetary balance, which is in surplus of 350,000 euros and which had a cash reserve of more than 500,000 euros," the mayor immediately clarified. He cited road improvements (47,000 euros), amendments to contracts (25,000 euros), and a cash reserve of approximately 25,000 euros for finishing work.

" There is also the purchase of furniture for the Marine Park House, because it is not just a new harbor master's office and, out of a total cost of 1.6 million euros, we are receiving 560,000 euros in subsidies, 300,000 euros are covered by the City, the rest is taken from the port budget."

"Beware of public funds"

Sitting next to him, First Deputy Emmanuel Blanc engages in a timid mutiny, after having already abstained on the budget in April. "For the half devoted to road development, no problem; but for the other half, dedicated to additional developments, while a statue and a fresco are not yet budgeted for... These are not considerable sums, but we still have to be careful with public funds..."

"Adjustments were necessary, there were contract amendments, but the projects have to be completed, we're not going to leave everything unfinished," the mayor explains. The Marine Park House is also a showcase for the municipality, an educational tool for schoolchildren in the Cannes area, to introduce them to biodiversity. If you block it, it doesn't matter..." He also announced that the port's finances will even allow for other work to be carried out in a few years, even more expensive but necessary, particularly on the quays, "because a port wears out..."

The second wave of protests then came from Sophie Rohfritsch, who already deplores the inflation of the current construction site, "for reasons more aesthetic than functional, according to a rather opaque decision-making process" , citing in particular the choice of a toilet at 1,600 euros. And also to fear that the red bitumen, which will be installed in front of the harbor master's office, will be removed shortly for new work. Or to denounce a "furniture" item of 5,000 euros "for which no estimate is provided . No one wants to make something ugly and a harbor master's office is useful, but if we have to be a showcase, it must be rigorous with public money. Certainly, 90,000 euros is not pharaonic, but for me, it is one amendment too many!", announces the elected official, who had voted for the port budget and the previous amendments to the contracts.

"When you start a project, you have to finish it."

Here again, Georges Botella sends his "opponent" back to the ropes. "You're against everything, but when you start something, you have to finish it. The revenue is there, because we're revitalizing the village and people are keen to come to La Figueirette." The toilet at 1,600 euros? The mayor brushes aside the objection. "It's the cost of the plumbing, with the choice of a wall-hung toilet to make cleaning easier, like the ones we installed in the town hall and our public buildings. The furniture was designed for the comfort of the staff, the park house and the harbor master's office are magnificent, and the people who work there are very satisfied."

Unsurprisingly, the resolution was adopted, despite the votes against by Sophie Rohfritsch and Monette Fiorina, and the abstentions of Emmanuel Blanc and Véronique Leroy. Not enough to shake the Botella majority, but these ripples herald further electoral turmoil.