The College of Dijkgraaf and Heemraden is the day-to-day management of a water board in the Netherlands.
The highest body of a water board is the general board (at some waterschappen in the west of the Netherlands also called a united meeting). This general government is elected once every four years by elections and can be compared with the city council. The general board elects from its own circle a number of heemrades (four, five or six) to attend the day-to-day management. This college of dijkgraaf and heemraden is comparable to the college of mayor and councilors at a municipality. The dijkgraaf is chairman of both the general and the executive board and is appointed by the Crown for a period of six years.
The secretary-general, who is the head of the official organization, is a member of the college of dijkgraaf and heemraden. The Secretary-General is appointed by the College of Dijkgraaf and Heemraden.
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