Completely unexpectedly, Mayor Caroline van de Pol announced on Terschelling on Thursday that she is leaving for Castricum. Shortly afterwards she suddenly appeared on video. That’s how it went.
21:24 After two hours of meetings, the mayor’s phone rings in the Terschelling council chamber. It turns out to be a phone call from Castricum that they want her there as mayor. “Ladies and gentlemen, I need a 15-minute suspension. Sorry to interrupt you. I have to make a call. Apologies.”
21:34 The meeting continues. “Apologies for the delay. (…) But sometimes things turn out the way they do.”
21:44 Van de Pol leaves again. “There are a few things I’m working on. At the same time, I would like to request that the faction leaders come to my room at ten o’clock.”
The council is left in confusion. How are they supposed to have further meetings about the mayor if she is not there? The deputy chairman therefore decides to stop the meeting for a while.
22:10 Meanwhile, in the Castricum municipal council, mayor Karen Heerschop says: “We will now proceed to announcing the person who will be recommended as mayor of Castricum.” The chairman of the confidential committee says that Van de Pol has become that person.
22:15 Van de Pol reopens the meeting on Terschelling. “I’m completely shaken by it.” She tells the council that she is leaving for Castricum . “It is a community between cheese and steel. It is a municipality located by the sea. That’s where my heart lies too. There are more than 36,000 inhabitants. There is also a lot of tourism. There are also a lot of flowers that I really love. (…) Obviously you can count on me until then.” Then she retreats to her office.
22:17 In Castricum, Mayor Heerschop says: “Then we want to try to make contact with Van de Pol now. She is now in a council meeting herself and I think she will have announced this in her council by now.”
Shortly afterwards, Van de Pol appears on a screen in the council chamber of Castricum. She receives applause from the council members and congratulations from Mayor Heerschop. Van de Pol: “I’m really looking forward to getting to know you. Thank you to your municipal council for nominating me as number 1.”
Van de Pol: “I must say, I will miss many of the residents on the island, but Castricum also has the sea, so that will probably be fine.”
Heerschop: “Well, enjoy it for a while.”
Van de Pol: “In any case, my evening cannot be ruined.”
Times are approximate. It could be a minute earlier or later. Watch the images of both council meetings here.