The Management & Maintenance department is home to the people in orange: the face of our municipality. Every day, they see, speak to and help the people of Apeldoorn. With their feet firmly on the ground and their hearts in the community, they are visible, committed and always close by. The people behind Management & Maintenance are those with a green heart, who work for Apeldoorn with passion and expertise. Who are these people, and in which specialist areas do they work? We’d be delighted to tell you!
Management & Maintenance: surprisingly versatile
You’ve no doubt seen council staff carrying out maintenance work on verges, trees or bushes. But did you know that there are many more different areas of expertise within this department?
For example, the staff in the Management & Maintenance department also:
- Maintenance of pumps, pumping stations and sewerage systems
- The installation and maintenance of playground equipment
- The management of car parks, traffic systems and cycle parking facilities
- The maintenance of municipal cemeteries
One team, one task
Alongside these ‘orange heroes’ on the front line, there is another large group working day in, day out to keep Apeldoorn’s public spaces in order. Sometimes they are visible in the neighbourhoods, such as the area managers and coordinators. Sometimes they work in the office, such as the procurement officers and planners.
With technical expertise, a feel for the neighbourhood and, above all, a strong can-do attitude, they keep Apeldoorn clean, safe and liveable. They do this together, as a well-coordinated team in which everyone has their own role but is working towards the same goal.
“It is precisely the combination of thinking, organising and taking action that makes this department so unique. ”
Dimitris Lepeniotis, Tree Inspector
“I enjoy the fact that my work is so varied. One day I’m sitting at my desk assessing applications. The next day I’m out and about, checking and assessing trees and the work being carried out. My job is all about striking a balance between spatial development and the preservation of green spaces.”
Dimitris grew up in a mountainous region of Greece. There, he spent a lot of time in the countryside, amongst the firs and oaks. Even as a child, he and his friends built a treehouse high up in the crown of an oak tree. “My childhood dream was to become a forest manager or a forest ranger.”
After completing various courses in forest conservation and enforcement, that dream came true in the Netherlands. “Life brought me here. In Apeldoorn, I trained as an arborist. As an all-round arborist, my work involved climbing, maintaining, felling and inspecting trees.”
“Trees are not only beautiful, but also play an important role in our living environment. It feels very special to me to be able to contribute, through my work, to preserving green spaces in towns and villages.”
Martijn van de Plas, cemetery officer
Within the municipality of Apeldoorn, we have five municipal cemeteries: Soerenseweg, Heidehof, Beekbergen, Wenum Wiesel and Uddel.
There is a great deal involved in maintaining a cemetery. Council staff look after the greenery, such as grass, shrubs and trees. But they are also the ones who dig graves using an excavator, or clear a grave when necessary.
Two years ago, Martijn joined the Operations and Maintenance team, having spent 23 years as a manager at a supermarket. “I used to want to be a forest ranger, but after completing my Forest and Nature Management course, there were no jobs to be found in that sector and I was able to progress within the supermarket where I was working. But working outdoors still held a great appeal, and that’s how I ended up in this line of work,” says Martijn.
He continues: “The great thing about my job is that one moment I’m carrying out maintenance work at the cemetery, and an hour later I might be leading a funeral procession in a black suit, lowering the coffin into the ground. My work is very varied. I also enjoy being able to do that little bit extra for the bereaved. Sometimes that means arranging floral tributes beautifully and sending a photo of the grave once it’s been closed. Sometimes it’s also by having a chat by a grave. No two days are the same, and that’s what makes the work so rewarding.”
Karlijn Kuipers, Director of Public Spaces for the North-East District
As the public space manager for the north-east, no two days are the same for Karlijn. “The outdoor space is my playground,” she says. And that is exactly what her work is all about: making this part of Apeldoorn more beautiful, more pleasant and more liveable.
As Public Space Manager, Karlijn acts as the link between what happens outside and what needs to be organised internally at the council. She focuses primarily on the physical public space – such as streets, green spaces, play areas and safety. Her main task is to ensure that this public space is maintained and developed in a sustainable manner.
To do this, she has to adapt constantly. She analyses what is happening in the neighbourhood – from traffic situations to waste management issues – and feeds this information back to the organisation. At the same time, she ensures that policy is actually implemented in practice. “You have one foot in the community and one in the organisation,” she explains. “You have to identify what’s happening out there and translate it into action.”
It’s in the outdoor space that everything comes together: residents, businesses, safety, sustainability and politics. Karlijn works with a wide range of organisations: from housing associations and the police to welfare organisations, neighbourhood councils and retailers“ associations. Building connections is therefore a key part of her work. ”It’s all about bringing people together so that shared goals can be achieved.”
Sometimes she notices that there is a sense of mistrust towards the local council. Karlijn sees it as her personal mission to change that. “If I can do my bit to help create more positive experiences, then that’s a step in the right direction.”
What drives her? The tangible difference she can make. Whether it’s installing extra lighting for safety, replacing an old table tennis table with new play equipment, or planting trees: you can see the results of her work in the neighbourhood. And that makes it tangible.
Above all, Karlijn wants to be a familiar face in Noordoost: approachable, easy to talk to and committed.
The national coach for Management & Maintenance: Gydo Matthijssen
“How proud am I of this team? Immensely,” Gydo begins. “These are the colleagues who make up our council’s management organisation. More than 300 people who work hard every day to ensure Apeldoorn is a great place to live. From green spaces and street furniture to sewers, car parks and playground equipment. They are the municipality’s visible ambassadors. It is partly thanks to them that our community is able to function.”
According to national coach Gydo, the “Orange Heroes” of Beheer & Onderhoud form a strong, close-knit team. “It really feels like a family. We literally work in orange, and that creates a bond. Many colleagues have been working together for years, know each other inside out and are always there for one another.”
What’s more, the work is anything but predictable. “Our work actually never stops. During the day we carry out maintenance; in winter we tackle icy conditions; in the evenings and at weekends we keep cycle parking facilities open; and in the event of breakdowns, colleagues are on standby day and night. There’s always some part of our department that’s active. That’s what makes it dynamic and challenging.’
That dynamism is also reflected in the diversity of the team. “We have people who know everything about technology, and colleagues who are in close contact with residents. And, of course, the people out in the field who actually carry out the work: from maintaining green spaces to roads and sewerage. It is precisely this combination of thinking, organising and doing that makes this department so unique.”
We love orange
Managing and maintaining public spaces is, and always will be, a job for people. We are proud of our ‘orange heroes’, who, come rain or shine, continue to do their very best to keep Apeldoorn beautiful and green.
Can you see our Orange Heroes in action? Give them a thumbs-up!
