For many years he enjoyed being an alderman in Geldrop-Mierlo. But after nine years, Marc Jeucken has given up. Lately he doesn’t feel happy anymore in the split between wishes from the city council and what he can do. “The constant feeling of not being able to fully meet expectations breaks me down,” he writes in his letter of resignation. What exactly is going on?
CDA member Jeucken is happy to explain this by telephone, just before he goes for a cycle.
Since 2014, Jeucken has been an alderman in the municipality where he was born and raised. In recent years with the portfolio of spatial planning and housing. These are themes that are also alive in Geldrop, just like in the rest of the Netherlands.
After all, (new) residents are crying out for houses to live in. And if possible, the council goes a step further on top of that.
“It affects me more and more and it physically bothers me.”
“I experience constant pressure from the city council. It affects me more and more and it physically bothers me. That is why I say: I am not going to continue with this,” says Jeucken.
One of the major projects that Jeucken is involved in is the construction of 800 homes in and near the center of Geldrop. The municipality requested and received a subsidy of 8 million euros from the government for this.
“Without government support, building so many homes, and then also half affordable, is not possible. Yes, so I am very happy,” he said earlier to the Eindhovens Dagblad.
“How can you still do well as an alderman?”
Over time, that happiness turned into frustration. “What we are doing, that we are working on the road, is hardly recognized in the city council. The council is continuously very critical. Then I think to myself, we’ve been very progressive in getting those resources. And then you get constant criticism. How can you still do well as an alderman?”
The opposition parties commented, among other things, that of the 800 homes there are very few social rental homes.
But according to Jeucken there are more examples. “It is not one specific case. It’s an accumulation of… And with me the measure is now full. It touches me very much as a person.”
“I hope to be able to charge my battery in the near future.”
In general, Jeucken also wants to say something about the increased pressure on public figures, such as administrators.
“Between 2018 and 2022, more than half of the aldermen in our municipality have resigned. The pressure from society is increasing. You may experience that pressure in the first few years, but you have a little more absorption capacity. But at some point the stretch is over.”
What will Jeucken do now? “I hope to be able to charge my battery in the near future. I want to get the balance back before it’s gone.”
On April 3, Jeucken will attend the last council meeting as alderman.