The Mayor's Year-End Address

On Thursday evening, December 14, the municipality organised an end-of-year gathering in the Marot Room of Castle Duivenvoorde. On this page, you can read the written speech by Mayor Nadine Stemerdink, which served as the basis for the spoken words.

Dear residents, entrepreneurs, organisations, associations, fellow board members, and so on. A warm welcome to this end-of-year gathering. How wonderful that we are able to welcome so many of you to this magnificent Castle Duivenvoorde, set in a lovely Christmas atmosphere filled with countless lights and candles. For Voorschoten, this may also mark the start of a new tradition: an end-of-year gathering instead of a New Year's reception.

We have two weeks left until New Year's Eve. However, a great deal has happened, giving us the opportunity to look back together on what we have done and experienced.

Train accident

For Voorschoten, 2023 was the year of the train accident. On April 4th, at around half past three in the morning, residents living near Voorschoten station were awakened by a loud bang, followed two minutes later by an even louder one. I do not need to tell you what had happened. You all also remember the frantic activity of that day, the week, and the weeks that followed, and for some, even the months that followed. After all, a great deal had to be repaired and arranged. On a day like today, our thoughts are also with crane operator Martin, his surviving relatives, and the injured involved in the accident.

I could tell you many stories about everything I experienced during that period. How I experienced it, including survival tips for an administrator. They are intimate moments, hilarious experiences, and events that I look back on to this day with a certain sense of wonder and sometimes bewilderment. I have learned a lot, such as the fact that I too turn out to be merely human and that I also had to process everything. I managed to do so thanks to the kind gentlemen at ProRail, who peacefully allowed me to see the train carriages once more and spoke with me about them. That is also part of being mayor.

What I certainly want to share today is how proud I am of the local residents, the emergency services, police, fire department, ambulances, control room, and so on, who together delivered a rescue operation beyond words. First on the scene of the accident was our Voorschoten Fire Department. Close behind them was the first police car from Leiden-South. Together with the control room, they laid down the initial guidelines, which ensured everything went so smoothly and cast Voorschoten in a positive light in the news. When it matters, we are there for each other. That became abundantly clear. Everywhere in the press, you read and heard about farmer Freek and the general practitioner. Who by the way – though we only learned this later – is not a general practitioner, but a specialist in elderly care medicine.

Elections

I’m proud of so much more this year. For example, last month’s House of Representatives elections are still fresh in our minds. The voter turnout of more than 85 percent was wonderful. But that high turnout also meant crowded polling places and enormous stacks of ballots to count. For the first time, residents were also able to vote on our own town hall. It’s great that we managed to organize that.

Honestly, I wouldn't have minded if those elections had taken place two years later. After all, in February we already had the Provincial States and Water Authorities elections. And organizing such an event demands a tremendous commitment from volunteers and our staff. Thank you very much! Especially while there is so much other work to be done.

Housing construction

Take housing development, for example. There are projects underway all over our village, from the new construction at Intratuin to the wonderful plans at Huize Bijdorp. This year, we also discussed potential locations for flexible housing units and our housing vision. These were meaningful, substantive debates at the “ municipal council,” during which difficult trade-offs had to be made.

In my monthly columns in the Voorschotense Krant, I often write about my group of friends. We are a reflection of society in every respect. Recently, we had a conversation about the significant Health concerns regarding whether their sons and daughters will have any chance at all within 5 to 10 years of finding an affordable starter home within a reasonable timeframe. They cannot provide their children with a dowry to finance a mortgage, just as so many other people cannot. For that very large group of young people, current and future first-time buyers on the housing markt, there is only one solution: build, build, and build some more.

What was wonderful was that this year, for the first time, we had a citizen initiative for the realization of courtyard housing, also known as Knarrenhof. Future-proof homes where older adults can live comfortably together. This citizen initiative was unanimously adopted by the municipal council.

Climate

From housing construction, it is a small step to climate, energy, sustainability, and greenery. We laid the final solar panel on the Boschbloem. Residents received free energy advice.

And next year we will start the major maintenance in Adegeest. With plenty of attention for greenery, as well as safety and water drainage (sewerage). On the way there, residents have actively contributed their thoughts; a successful example of participation where residents and the municipality have arrived at a better plan and new insights together. Where it is not about who is right. It is about making choices together where the public interest comes first.

Work is also being done on the sewer system on Raadhuislaan. And yes, it’s finally going to happen—the roundabout near the “ town hall ” is finally being made safer for traffic.

It’s nice to mention the new trees we’ve planted: a linden tree on Voorstraat and 28 other special trees in Burgemeester Berkhout Park. That brings me back to NLdoet. This year, as “ executive board ,” we got to help the students at Nutsbasisschool prune branches—in the rain, snow, and wind. It was so much fun talking with those kids about what they think and what they want to be when they grow up.

Volunteers

And I haven’t even mentioned our volunteers yet. Because where would we be without them? I think I know the answer, and that is: absolutely nowhere. Many have been dedicated to helping others for years. I’m thinking of the informal caregivers who are ready day and night to step in where professional Health has to leave things undone due to a lack of manpower. Or all the volunteers at sports and cultural associations and Scouting clubs, who are always ready to roll up their sleeves. No request is too much.

Also think of welfare and elderly organizations that are indispensable in a municipality, where life is apparently so pleasant and good that we are one of the most senior-friendly municipalities in the country. Then there are the volunteers who every year ensure wonderful celebrations and days in our village, from King's Day, the Voorschoten Weekend and the arrival of Sinterklaas, to the Horse Days and Open Monument Day. And finally, let us not forget the volunteers at our fire department! Volunteers are indispensable.

Entrepreneurs

I am also proud of our entrepreneurs. The beating heart of society. They provide jobs, partly for those who need a little more help in society. For example, in collaboration with the Meraki foundation, entrepreneurs offer space and opportunities for people on social assistance or with a refugee background who want to start a business, become a bookkeeper or work at a local business.

Entrepreneurship is what Voorschoten radiates! We also see this in the great involvement of entrepreneurs in events. The first entrepreneur breakfast on the Day of the Entrepreneur, which we held this year, was successful and definitely worth repeating. I hope to see even more entrepreneurs next year, of course! Among whom, as we can see at every event in our village, is also the written press.

Remembrance Day

This year, the scouting movement played an important role in the Remembrance of the Dead for the first time. The two scouting associations that were stationed took care of carrying the wreaths. I got goosebumps when I saw this involvement of young people. Together we must ensure that the stories continue to be told to future generations. Thank you, scouts, for being willing to do this!

During the Remembrance of the Dead, our veterans are also always present in an honour guard. Voorschoten has just over 100 veterans who have served in various missions abroad, often in difficult circumstances. This has left its mark on many a veteran. I am glad that this year, for the first time, so many veterans came to the local Veterans Day. That was also here in this hall. What a special day that was. Sharing memories together.

Civil Service Organization

A huge compliment to our civil service organization, which has essentially been running non-stop for three years. The corona period, complex issues surrounding housing, energy, quality of life, safety, the reception of displaced persons from Ukraine and status holders, and the handling of the train accident have asked the utmost, and still ask that, of our small, but very agile and loyal organization. Proud of what we achieve as Voorschoten.

But Voorschoten cannot do this alone. Collaboration within the Leiden Region is essential to improve, bring closer, and sustain services for residents—for example, in the area of Health. In the coming years, this collaboration with the municipalities in the Leiden Region will be further intensified.

Peace

From Voorschoten, a step towards the world. Sadly, world peace is still a long way off, and perhaps even further away than at the beginning of the year. The war in Ukraine continues. As Voorschoten, we are now also hosting more than 100 displaced persons from Ukraine. They are truly a part of our society; they are working, playing sports, going to school, and the kids are singing and dancing wherever possible. We continue to hope for a speedy end to the war so that families can be reunited in their homeland.

Peace is also further away than ever in the Gaza Strip. Everyone has seen the horrifying images of the Hamas terrorist attack. A conflict so deeply rooted among Israelis and Palestinians, with so many layers, and in which so many innocent civilian casualties have fallen over the years. Even at those moments when the media paid no attention to it. The fear among our Jewish residents cannot be put into words. I cannot take away their fear. I can only listen to them; the stories and feelings.

There is no peace in other countries either. People still have to flee because of their beliefs, sexual orientation, and so on. In Voorschoten, we have already been accommodating status holders for a year and a half, who are waiting for a home in a municipality to which they have been assigned. It is a drop in the ocean, because the reception situation at the registration centre is no longer manageable for those who report there. The fact that the registration centre is overflowing also has consequences for the neighbourhood residents of the registration centre in Ter Apel. The situation has become untenable.

Wherever you are on the political spectrum, everyone agrees that the asylum chain has been deadlocked for quite some time and that continuing this way is not an option. Whichever cabinet comes to power—and please, no new elections again—clear answers are needed. The time of indefinable and unfeasible compromises is over. As a decent country, we have an obligation to provide humane reception to those fleeing war.

Peace—it would be so wonderful to live in a world where there is peace. I always wonder what we’re doing to ourselves in this world. War leads nowhere. We must continue to engage in dialogue with one another, and making peace sooner rather than later is the only solution. Based on that conviction, and to pause together in remembrance of the innocent victims of all that violence, the city council has raised the peace flag at the “ town hall .”

Conclusion

I am going to wrap up now, because you have had to listen to me for long enough by now. We are here at the beautiful Duivenvoorde Castle amidst many candles and lights. A symbol of hope and also remembrance. Alongside the joy we share with one another, the holidays also bring the absence of loved ones. Many of you have already lit a candle during the Evening of Lights for those who are forever in our hearts. I will certainly do the same during Christmas.

We also wonder what the new year will bring. No doubt about it, nobody knows. Last year's New Year's Eve conference was by Claudia de Breij: "It won't be alright, but we are going to make it right," were the words with which she concluded her powerful conference.

Words that proved to be prophetic. Our ability to deal with uncertainties has been put to the test, and we cannot rule out that this will also be the case in the coming year. But when I see how we look out for each other in Voorschoten under difficult circumstances, I have every confidence that we will continue to care for each other, also in 2024. We are going to make things good together again next year.

I wish you a Merry Christmas and a wonderful, and for the emergency services a quiet, transition into the new year.

For now, thank you and cheers!