His press release leaves little to be desired in terms of clarity. Jan Zwiers is done with local politics in Central Drenthe for a while. Too little respect for other opinions, too little willingness to collaborate, too much exaggeration of differences.
That feeling doesn’t come to you overnight and leaving is quite a big decision. Mayor Jan Zwiers also recognizes this. ”We are colleagues who work closely together, so you know a little more about each other. It is a process and the last straw has now broken the camel’s back. Yet at the moment it is of course a surprise. Very annoying, especially for Jan himself.”
The departure is of course also undesirable for the mayor and aldermen. Pending the formation of a new council, the aldermen are dividing the tasks in Schipper’s portfolio. It is especially interesting to see who will take over the Klatering file.
The hamlet east of Beilen is the center of a hot point of contention. Is the area designated as a meadow bird area, or should a solar park be built? Emotions about this are running high – also in the municipal council. So high that the appropriate manners go too far for Zwiers.
Charles de Haas, councilor for Municipal Interests, is quite vocal in this dossier. He refers to the municipal Court of Audit’s report on the developments surrounding the arrival of the solar park as trash. His party has never been mild about Zwiers’ role.
”Yes, of course we saw this coming. It is not without reason that we have already submitted a motion of no confidence against him. It looks like he’s taken his money’s worth.”
Precisely that motion and the attacks from Municipal Interests are undoubtedly part of the bucket that has now overflowed with the former alderman. De Haas says: ”He understands how it works. I think it is due to the content, not the manners, that he has now left.”
The councilor has the feeling that Schipper has become ‘stuck’ in the Klatering file. And he may not be the last person this happens to, De Haas thinks. ”If the council continues on the path it is on, yes. We must stop the process and find a solution in a business cabinet. Finding the truth is important. We are seriously in favor of a council inquiry.”
The question is whether it comes from that. First it’s time to lick the wounds. Jan Zwiers: ”This is a loss. You have to process that and then sit down and think about the next step.”
What does Schipper’s departure say about the culture in the municipal council? The mayor, who has ‘Government Style’ in his portfolio, sees no reason to immediately comment on this. ”Jan’s words in the press release about his departure are clear. But it’s his lyrics.”
