In 1817 he became a member of the local council for Bruges .
He resigned from that position the next year , serving as district commissioner for the nearby Torhout district between 1818 and 1820 .
In 1817 he became a member of the local council for Bruges , but he resigned from that position the next year , serving as district commissioner for the nearby Torhout district between 1818 and 1820 .