Starland County celebrates it's 80th Anniversary

Starland County Office burns down.

Drumheller Mail article

Starland County celebrates its 75th Anniversary

In May of 1998, the Council changed the municipality’s name to the more universally familiar “county” name and became Starland County.

The Village of Rumsey was dissolved and became a Hamlet under the jurisdiction of Starland County.

The Village of Craigmyle dissolved and became a Hamlet under the jurisdiction of Starland County.

At the Council's request, the municipality's name became the Municipal District of Starland No. 47.

The Council's first meeting of the new and enlarged Municipal District of Morrin No. 277 was held at the Alexandra Hotel in Drumheller.

Mr. Thomas A. Potts was empowered by the Minister of Municipal Affairs to administer the affairs of the newly formed District until the first Council assumed control of the municipality's affairs.  Mr. Potts was also authorized to decide on all questions arising over the division or apportionment of the property, rights and liabilities of the new district and the former districts merged into the new district.  Mr. Potts called the initial meeting of Council to Order, and Returning Officer Swallow reported the election of the following Councillors:

Division 1: W.L. Carter of Delia

Division 2: Alex Edwards of Drumheller

Division 3: R.W. Waters of Morrin

Division 4: D.B. McPheeters of Rumsey

Division 5: George Smith of Delia

Councillor McPheeters was elected as the first Reeve of the municipality, and Councillor Carter was the first Deputy-Reeve.  The first item on the agenda at the meeting was the appointment of a Secretary-Treasurer and an Assistant Secretary-Treasurer.  Mr. S.R. Hooper, of Rowley was appointed as the first Secretary-Treasurer, and his annual salary at that time was $2,160.00 per annum.  Mr. Bruce Ramsay of Craigmyle was appointed as the first Assistant Secretary-Treasurer, and his annual salary was $2,000.00.  Mr. C.R. Moritz was appointed as the first road construction foreman, and he was authorized to hire men for the road construction crew once the positions were ratified by the Council.  The schedule of fees for wages set by the Council clearly illustrates that times have changed.  A single man working on the road crew was paid 50¢ per hour, foremen and gradermen received 60¢ per hour, and a man with four horses was reimbursed at 90¢ per hour.

Another item of discussion at the initial council meeting was the name of the newly formed Municipal District.  The original Order-in-Council referred to the new municipality as the Municipal District of Morrin No. 277.  At the initial council meeting, it was moved and carried that the municipality's name be changed to the Municipal District of Starland No. 277, and that an application be sent to the Minister of Municipal Affairs to request the name change.  The request was approved by the Minister.

In 1943, $45,000.00 was borrowed at 5 percent interest rates to pay for school requisitions, and another $5,000.00 was borrowed at the same rate to allow for the full payment of the Hospital requisitions.  There were four school districts or divisions that requisitioned the municipality in the first year:

Requisitioning School                 Requisition         Mill Rate

Castor School Division No. 27$            $73.96         12.0

Drumheller School Division No. 30      $46,020.13   10.0

Drumheller School District No. 2742     $171.82       7.0

Stettler School Division No. 26            $1,240.92     12.0

In the same year the following Hospital requisitions were paid:

Drumheller Hospital District No. 7       $ 8,596.31    2.0

Hanna Hospital District No. 9              $ 3,581.69    5.0

The Government Order-in-Council designated five electoral divisions within the municipality. It established February 17, 1943, as the date for receiving nominations for the office of Councillor for each division and establishing the first election, if necessary.  Mr. Henry Swallow of Rowley was appointed the Returning Officer for the first election, and the business of operating the local municipality commenced.

The Municipal District of Morrin No. 277 was formed by the amalgamation of the Municipal District of Michichi No. 277, the Municipal District of Lambton No. 306, and the Municipal District of Starland No. 307.

A rural municipality under the name of the Rural Municipality of Starland No. 307. The formation of the Municipality was effective as of December 9, 1912.

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