By Etienne Thevou
Morinville – Council continued its participation in centennial celebrations Tuesday night by moving its Committee of the Whole (COW) meeting across town and back in time. The informal gathering of council to discuss matters to be brought forward to council was held at Morinville community High School with council once again donning historical garb.
While the costumes were similar to those which council and administration had worn during Monday night’s centennial evening, a couple of entertaining additions, included some holstered guns worn by Planning and Development Director Greg Hoffman and a large suffragette button worn by Councillor Lisa Holmes. Back when Morinville’s first council were making town decisions, women had yet to be given the right to vote. That right would not come to Alberta until Apr. 19, 1916, five years and one day after Morinville was incorporated as a town.
Tuesday night’s Committee of the Whole meeting began with a little historical trivia from Mayor Lloyd Bertschi who recounted the details on Morinville’s first bylaw which allowed the town to borrow $10,000 to build a town hall and do some road construction. The debenture was taken out over 20 years. The Mayor said that $10,000 in today’s dollars would equate to $208,950. Morinville’s annual payment on the loan was $871.85 or $18,217 in today’s money. Interest on the loan was $7,436.91 or $155,394.26.
Council also recognized Morinville’s past mayors Albert Ouellette (1967), Ross Quinn (1979-1992), Mary Anne Balsillie (1992-1995) and Ted Code (1995-2001), all four of whom attended the meeting and received gifts on behalf of council.
The evening concluded with a trivia contest featuring questions on Morinville’s history.
The next meeting of Morinville Town Council will take place Tuesday Apr. 26 at St. Germain Plaza, named after Morinville’s first Mayor Omer St. Germain.
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