Municipal Board January 12, 2026

The municipal board determined that the decisions made at the municipal council's December meeting were made in legal order and decided to implement them. The municipal manager may issue necessary orders and instructions for the implementation of the decisions. This is a statutory procedure where the municipal board ensures the legality of the council's decisions before their implementation.

The municipal board unanimously approved the meeting agenda and order of proceedings. This is a standard procedure at the beginning of each meeting, where it is confirmed which matters will be discussed and in what order. The decision does not directly affect residents, but is part of the technical progress of the meeting.

Tuija Korhonen has requested resignation from the position of deputy member of the education and teaching board for personal reasons. The municipal board proposes to the municipal council that the resignation be granted and a new deputy member be elected for the remainder of the term. The decision will be made at the next municipal council meeting. The resignation does not affect the board's operations, as it concerns a deputy member position.

The municipal board decided to continue negotiations with UM-Kiinteistöt Oy regarding the implementation of the Pohjoisrinne workplace area in Marjamäki. The area is located between the highway, Kuljuntie and Helsingintie, and its implementation has been challenging due to significant elevation differences and massive earthwork operations. The municipality has been seeking a development partner for the area for several years, and has now chosen UM-Kiinteistöt's proposal, which also extends to the east side of the highway to the area north of Areenakatu. The goal is to conclude a final development agreement for commercial and industrial buildings to be constructed in the area.

The municipal manager presented the municipality's key advocacy priorities and reviewed upcoming matters at the meeting. The discussion also addressed the decision by the Hämeenlinna Administrative Court regarding an appeal concerning the zoning plan amendment for the Hollo heating plant. The municipal board acknowledged the current affairs for information. Several directors were present at the meeting as experts to present upcoming agenda items.

Anu Pellikka (SDP) has requested resignation from her duties as municipal councillor and deputy chairperson of the audit committee for personal reasons. The municipal board proposes to the municipal council that the resignation be granted. A substitute councillor from SDP will be elected for the remaining term in accordance with the Local Government Act. A new deputy chairperson will also be elected to the audit committee to replace Pellikka.

The municipal board approved a report that examined different ways of organizing children's morning and afternoon activities. The report proposes experimenting with a multi-producer model, where private companies or associations could organize activities alongside the municipality. The pilot experiment would begin in August 2026 at the new Saikantalon school, and a meeting will be organized in January for interested service providers. After the experiment, feedback will be collected from children, parents, and staff before making a decision on continuing the activities.

Lempäälä municipal council approved a new handbook for elected officials in December 2025, which took into account the councillors' motion on anti-racism and anti-discrimination work. The motion emphasized that elected officials have a special responsibility to act thoughtfully and avoid creating divisions. During the handbook update process, several training sessions and workshops were organized, where the requirements of the council motion were taken into consideration. The municipal board concluded that the matter has now been fully processed.

The municipality will transfer properties for social and health services as well as rescue services to the newly established Lempäälän Kuntakiinteistöt Oy due to the mandatory corporatization requirement under the law. The health center will be sold to the company and the municipality will grant a ten-year loan for this purpose, while the activity center, fire station and Himminkoto will be transferred tax-free in exchange for shares. However, the land will remain under municipal ownership. This arrangement ensures that the premises rented to the wellbeing services county operate under competitively neutral market conditions.

The council motion proposed restricting the use of digital devices during breaks at upper secondary schools to improve young people's well-being. Currently, mobile devices may be used 3 times for 15 minutes per day during outdoor breaks, and Sääksjärvi Upper Secondary School is indeed testing a complete ban during November. Schools already organize various break activities such as sports, dance, and board game breaks according to students' wishes. However, implementing a complete ban would require arranging secure storage for phones and practical solutions due to the different facilities at schools.

The municipal board noted the minutes from various board meetings held in December 2025 and decisions made by officials between mid-December and early January. The municipal board did not take these matters up for separate consideration, which means that the board decisions and official resolutions remain in effect as they are. This is a standard procedure to ensure that the municipal board is aware of decisions made by other municipal bodies.