Overview
- Aldermen Hans Buijtelaar (VVD), Jeroen Brouwer (SP) and Jan Kuiper (CDA) resigned with immediate effect, saying the organization needs space to restore trust.
- The municipality cited tensions that created an unsafe working situation for several employees, with local reports noting staff off sick due to the turmoil.
- Acting mayor Mirjam van ’t Veld called the departures unavoidable and said she will limit herself to decisions that cannot be postponed, as the aldermen’s pages were removed from the municipal website.
- Cooperation problems were flagged in a July letter and resurfaced in a recent council debate where the college acknowledged staff had suffered and pledged improvement.
- Council members declined public comment, residents voiced frustration on the town market, a budget debate will proceed with only the acting mayor present, and a political scientist says the council should appoint temporary aldermen until the March 18, 2026 vote.