Municipalities - Sick mayor of Sylt wants to return to the executive chair
Sylter Mayor Nikolas Häckel (independent), despite being ill, will return to his chair as mayor in the Westerland town hall. He informed the main committee of the Sylt community in writing of his wish for a phased reintegration from July 1st, according to Florian Korte, spokesperson for the Sylt community. "The committee was unable to comply with this wish during the last main committee meeting as no medical assessment was presented despite repeated inquiries."
Given the long-term health-related absence of the mayor, a medical assessment is crucial for the main committee, according to Korte. Only once such an assessment is available can the responsible parties make a decision on how to proceed. As soon as the necessary information is available, the main committee will reconvene.
Mayor of Sylt has been sick since February
Häckel has been sick since mid-February and will still be until July. The Sylt administrative chief was unable to perform his duties several weeks in the summer. He was certified unfit for duty by his treating doctor due to a stress-related mental illness, the Sylt community announced on its website at the time.
The committee decided at the end of May that a medical examination of the 50-year-old mayor should be initiated. In addition, it was decided to determine the pensions if the mayor were to be retired early.
This is what Häckel's lawyer says
"Once the medical examination and the medical treatment by Mr. Häckel's treating doctor are completed, there will be a result regarding his fitness for duty," said Häckel's lawyer, Trutz Graf Kerssenbrock, to the German Press Agency. "This could still take several weeks." "If his fitness for duty is certified, he can return to work." At that point, the other side - in this case, the Sylt community - must decide how to proceed.
Politicians have been complaining for a long time that the communities on the island are frustrated and that town hall employees are dissatisfied, and that trust in the administration led by Häckel since 2015 is waning. He is currently represented by his deputy, Carsten Kerkamm (CDU). A conversation between the lawyers of both parties last had not resulted in a mutually acceptable solution because, according to the administration, the proposals of both parties were too far apart.
The sick mayor Nikolas Häckel still faces a recall procedure. The members of the community council on Sylt could decide on the initiation of such a procedure at their next meeting on July 18th.
- Despite being ill, Mayor Nikolas Häckel of Sylt intends to return to his role as executive chair in the Westerland town hall from July 1st, as he communicated to the Sylt community's Main Committee in a written statement.
- The Municipalities of Schleswig-Holstein are closely watching the situation of Mayor Häckel, as his long-term absence due to health issues has necessitated a medical assessment by the Main Committee.
- Nikolas Häckel's personal details, including his health status and fitness for duty, are critical for the Main Committee to make a decision regarding his return to office, as per the announcement by Florian Korte, spokesperson for the Sylt community.
- After initiating the medical examination for Mayor Häckel in late May, the Main Committee will reconvene once the necessary information is available to decide on his phased reintegration or potential retirement.
