Mayor Martijn Smit will leave Beverwijk halfway through next year. At that time, his second term would start, but Smit waives another six years in Beverwijk. “After eighteen years as mayor, I want to take up new challenges and ambitions.”
Arthur van Dijk, King’s Commissioner in North Holland, asked Smit whether he is in for a reappointment in accordance with the usual procedure. Smit says about this on the municipality’s website. “Mayor of Beverwijk is a wonderful office. I am happy to fulfill this every day. Yet I have informed the commissioner that I am not available for a new term. The reason for this decision is that after eighteen years as mayor, I wants to make room for new challenges and ambitions.”
Smit (PvdA) was previously an alderman in Edam-Volendam, after which he became mayor of the municipality of Zeevang in 2005. Five years later he became that in Wijdemeeren and since 2017 in Beverwijk.