North Sea island - Sick mayor of Sylt still at risk of being voted out of office
Sick-written Sylt Mayor Nikolas Haëckel (non-partisan) faces further dismissal. In the session on July 18th, the council members are to discuss a corresponding joint motion of the factions except for the SSW, a spokesperson for the Sylt community announced. "Until then, Mayor Nikolas Haëckel has the opportunity to write his own statement and, if desired, present it in the session." The dismissal procedure is running independently and legally from the review of misconduct by the main committee of the community.
It was known on Friday that Haëckel wanted to return to work despite being ill and sit in the mayor's chair at the town hall in Westerland. Previous statements from the community spokesperson indicate that Haëckel wrote to the main committee expressing his wish for a phased reintegration from July 1st. However, the main committee could not comply with this request because no medical assessment was presented in response to repeated inquiries.
Sylt Mayor has been sick-written since February
Haëckel has been sick-written since mid-February and still until July. At the end of May, the committee decided to initiate a medical examination of the 50-year-old and to determine his pension benefits if the mayor were to be prematurely retired.
According to previous statements from Haëckel's lawyer, Trutz Graf Kerssenbrock, the result regarding his fitness for duty should be available after the completion of the medical examination and Haëckel's medical treatment by his treating doctor. This could still take several weeks. "If he is declared fit for duty, he can work again." Then the other side – in this case, the Sylt community – must decide how to proceed.
Haëckel has been in charge of administration since 2015. He is currently represented by his deputy, Carsten Kerkamm (CDU). A conversation between the attorneys of both parties last had not resulted in an amicable solution because, according to the administration, the positions of the two parties were too far apart.
- The deselection procedure for Nikolas Haëckel's position as Sylt Mayor, which is running independently, does not depend on the main committee's review of misconduct.
- During the council session on July 18th, Mayor Nikolas Haëckel has the opportunity to present his own statement regarding his situation, if he so desires, as part of the deselection process.
- Despite being sick-written, Haëckel expressed his wish for a phased reintegration into his role as Sylt Mayor starting from July 1st, but this request could not be granted due to the lack of a medical assessment.
- The deselection procedure for Haëckel's position as Sylt Mayor is taking place on the North Sea island of Sylt, located in the municipalities of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany.
