COUNTY OF THORHILD No.7 - Excerpts taken from the "Story of Rural Municipal Government in Alberta 1909 to 1983" by the Association of the Municipal Districts and Counties Contributed for use in Alberta Digital Archives by Darlene Homme *************************************************************************** ALBERTA DIGITAL ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed Alberta Digital archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the Alberta Digital Archives to store the file permanently for free access. *************************************************************************** The county was organized on January 1, 1955, following an application by the Board of Trustees of Thorhild School Division No. 57. The total area is approximately 25 townships and includes 46 organized small school districts. It extends from township 58 in the South, to the middle of township 63 in the North. The east and west boundaries run approximately from the middle of range 23 on the west side, to range 19 on the east, all west of the 4th meridian. The office is located in the Village of Thorhild. The county is divided into division, each represented by a council member who is elected for a three-year term on a rotation basis. The reeve, who also acts as chairman for the meetings, is chosen by the members at its annual organizational meeting held each year in October. The following is a brief history of events leading up to the County organization. Thorhild School Division No. 57 was organized January 1, 1947 with Mr. R. J. Scott as Official Trustee and Mr. Ernest Meaden as Secretary Pro. tern. The first board was sworn into office March 5, 1947 and consisted of Messrs. William J. Klufas as Chairman, Steve Radomsky as Vice-Chairman, Fred Malowany. A.A. Eckert, and Joseph Polanski. The Board decided to locate its office in a private house in the Village of Thorhild. There were 18 applications for the position of Secretary-Treasurer and out of these Mr. R. Baker was finally chosen for the position which he held until September 30, 1947. Mr. B. Walker was appointed Superintendent of Schools on behalf of the Department of Education. Besides the usual business of the Board, the Minutes show that a considerable amount of time and many problems involved the operation of the small school districts in the area and the dormitory at Radway. A resolution was also passed on June of 1947 "to write a letter to Alberta Government Telephones pointing out the urgent necessity of a telephone in the Divisional Office." Mr. I. Goresky was appointed Superintendent of Schools as from September 1, 1947 and he continued in this position until September 1966. Mr. John L. Wynnychuk was appointed Secretary-Treasurer of the Division as from September 1, 1947 and he continued in this position until the County organization in 1955. A new School Division office was built in 1949. The Division area was in the Smoky Lake School Division prior to its formation in 1947, however, following the passing of the County Act in 1950, the Board was anxious to have the Thorhild School Division remain as a local governing area to provide better education and especially to improve roads, since the Division boundaries were in the Municipal Districts of Westlock, Sturgeon, and Smoky Lake and a Local Improvement District for Municipal purposes. The only alternative was to apply for County status. A considerable amount of interest was generated in the county operations and the general business demanded by the ratepayers to be carried out by the new county officials early in 1955. Mr. Leo Maurice, Inspector with the Department of Municipal Affairs was appointed Official Administrator while Mr. J.L. Wynnychuk continued as Secretary-Treasurer pro tern. Mr. Sidney J. Gee was appointed assessor. The Organizational meeting of the new Council was held in the Thorhild Community Hall on March 15, 1955, as a public gathering and at which the following were present: the Hon. E.W. Hinman, Minister of Municipal Affairs; Mr. J. Judge, Deputy Minister; Mr. Peter Chaba, M.L.A.; Mr. A. Aloisio, M.L.A.; Returning Officer, Mr. W. Smith; Mr. Alex Myroon, as School Representative from Redwater; Mr. Walter Home, School Representative from Thorhild Village; and, Mr. Leo Maurice as Official Administrator. The following newly elected Council members were sworn into office: Division 1 - Mike Hrynchuk, Redwater, who was sworn as Chairman 2 - Charles Polanski, Radway 3 - William Ewasiw, Egremont 4 - Bill Sauchuk, Weasel Creek 5 - Phillip Kassain, Thorhild 6 - Adolph A. Eckert, Newbrook 7 - Herbert Hissett, Newbrook A Public Works Committee was formed, However, since 1956 this committee has not existed and all public works business is dealt with by the County Council at its regular meetings. The school committee consists of all members of the county council plus representatives from the Villages of Radway and Thorhild. The agricultural committee consists of all council members with Mr. John Vanderleest, District Agriculturist, representing the department. Following settlement of Assets and liabilities with the surrounding municipalities in 1955 the county proceeded with its own administration and has gone a long way in building and improving roads in the area. Further centralization of small schools became an important order of business and a responsibility of the School Committee. Each school closing generally preceded a considerable amount of opposition for reasons of local pride and continuation of existing community life. In fact the closing of Egremont four-rooms was opposed to an extent whereby a short lived R.C. Separate School District was operated and the ratepayers opposing the closing "sparked" a petition to vote against the county system of government. The County Act was set up that, following four years of operation, the ratepayers could demand a vote on the question, "Do you favour the continuation of the county form of Government?" The plebiscite was held on March 21,1959 and resulted in 809 voting "yes" and 142 voting "no". This was the first test in the province and a good indication for the Government that the County system should be encouraged. 1983 UPDATE Comparison of the assessments, mill rate and tax levy: YEAR ASSESSMENT MILL RATE TAX LEVY 1977 23,015,260. 86 1,822,518. 1978 8,826,700. 96 726,100. 1979 9,068,450. 100 797,839. 1980 9,151,010. 121 963,896. 1981 9,532,100. 135 1,081,566. The need for remodelling the existing office, originally built as a school division office in 1949, was discussed by the council from time to time but no changes were made. However, following a major fire in the office on Boxing Day, 1962, and a second smaller fire almost a year later, a complete renovation and alteration of the building was carried out and a large addition constructed. While the present office is not of the "gilt-edged" variety, all departments of the county administration including the Sturgeon Health Unit office, the district agriculturists' offices, Alberta Hail & Crop Insurance office and Alberta Agriculture loans officers' office, are now housed in the one building. At the present time schools for grades 1 to 12 are operated at Thorhild, Newbrook and Radway with a total enrollment of 844. Special mention is made of Charlie Croswell who passed away on August 11, 1981 after serving for the county during the years of 1970-76. Present council: Division - 1 - John Small, Radway, Alberta 2 - Kathleen Clarke, Thorhild, Alberta 3- Steve Shwetz, Waskatenau, Alberta 4- Davie Barnes, Thorhild, Alberta 5- Nick Lazowski, Newbrook, Alberta 6- Ted Bencharski, Thorhild, Alberta School Representatives: Radway Village - Rosemary Mahalingham Thorhild Village - Julia Wohland Mr. Steve Shwetz is reeve of the county while Mr. John Small is chairman of the school committee and Mr. Ted Bencharski is chairman of the agricultural service board. General administration and office: Superintendent of Schools - Roman A. Wiznura Coordinator of Special Services - John S. Clarke Assessor - C. Doucet of Doucet Appraisals Agricultural Fieldman - Jim Horricks District Agriculturist - John Vanderleest Secretary to District Agriculturist - Carol Sauchuk Supervisor of School Maintenance - Mike Prodaniuk Secretary-Treasurer - David C. Petroski Assistant Secretary-Treasurer - Leo Larose Payroll Clerk - Shelly Rettman Accounts payable Clerk- Karen Short School Superintendent's Secretary - Linda Horyn Gas Steno - Judy Toronchuk Steno - Anne Woytenko Steno - Doris Clarke Public Works Shop steno - Carol Rusinko Utilities Officer - Mike Dukewich Gas Serviceman - Bob Bencharski Recreation Director - James Warner Recreation Secretary - Joan Golonowski By-Law Enforcement Officer - Russ Rosenthal - appointed in 1977 In 1974 the County of Thorhild No. 7, plowed in a county owned gas system. To date we have approximately 1179 customers, most of whom were on the system by 1976. Our franchise area extends to areas in the County of Athabasca and Municipal District of Sturgeon. In 1977, the Municipal District of Sturgeon annexed Division One (Redwater Area) from the County of Thorhild No.7. This annexation resulted in a 14.2 million decrease in our assessment. The County of Thorhild constructed a new public works shop in 1977. It is located directly east of the Village of Thorhild on a quarter section of land which the county purchased for this purpose. Construction of water and sewer system began in 1977 for the Hamlet of Newbrook and sewer system in 1981 for the Hamlet of Egremont. In 1980 the County of Thorhild built a fire hall in the Hamlet of Newbrook. They purchased three fire trucks; one to be house in the Newbrook fire hall, one in the Thorhild fire hall and one in the Radway fire hall. Landowners along the Namepi - Kennedy Creek have always experienced severe flooding problems. In l977, the county council initiated through Alberta Environment, a dredging and channel clearing project thus improving the productivity of the affected areas.