July 10, 2002

New Town Office Officially Opens
	Provost’s new administration office was officially opened on Friday morning, July 5 shortly after 11 a.m. A ribbon cutting was held followed by some presentations to the town and then refreshments were served as people toured the new facility. The old town office was taken down last year after serving the citizens since its official opening on June 26, 1963. A new town office was built because of continuing problems with the old structure in recent years. Mayor Ken Knox addressed approximately 100 guests at the opening on the same site just east of Main Street on Friday when he said that “I think we made the right decision to do it (constructing a new building).”
With a single snip the new $500,000 town office was proclaimed officially open on Friday morning, July 5. ©Provost News Photo.
Councillor Tom Ward played bagpipes and rang the 1914 town bell displayed in front of the building just before the ribbon cutting and just after the official snipping. Knox thanked former councillor Kim Larson for his persistence in pushing the new building project ahead. Knox said that at one point he did not want the new building and wanted to upgrade the old one. He said privately later he did not mind admitting that the decision to build was the right one. Several presentations were made to the town including an original painting of the first store in town showing a 1908 building put up by Harry Briggenshaw and captured in acrylic by Ross McCormick; artwork from Deb Bishop on behalf of Border Credit Union; a picture of Provost elevators (by Dirk Brouwer Photography) presented by Reeve of the M.D. 52, Fritz Crone; a series of photographs of the old town office—its destruction and the building of the new office, taken and presented by The Provost News; and a commissioned acrylic painting of the old town office that was donated by former resident Margaret Holmes of Medicine Hat. Knox also pointed out two large plaques that are hanging on the wall listing councillors of the Village and Town of Provost from 1913 to the present. The mayor said in an interview that “We’d outgrown the old building” and said that everyone really enjoys the new offices. He said that as mayor he was not prepared to spend over a half million dollars on the project. Just under $500,000 was spent on the project, not counting landscaping said chief administrative officer of the town, Terry Hurlbut. Knox added that he hopes the town gets at least 40 years of use out of the new building “like the last one.” He was elected as Provost’s mayor by acclamation in 1987 and had not served on council before. He has served continuously as mayor since that time. “I’ve enjoyed it” Knox said adding that there is a serious side but there’s some fun in doing it too. Former councillor Larson said that he “was a pain for a few years” pushing the project and that on Friday he was “pretty happy.” He talked about the importance of a good image for the town and said that “We’re here for the long term.” Hurlbut said later that day that the new building is great and that he and other staff “really enjoy the space and air conditioning— and no smells (from water leakage like in the old building). The new building “gives you a nice atmosphere and the spaciousness is nice.” Those serving as councillors over the years include: Village of Provost—Councillors 1913—Reeve- N.A. Kilburn, Councillors - E.G. Meiklejohn, D.E. McPhail (elected); 1914—Reeve - N.A. Kilburn, Councillors - A.H. Simpson, S.F. Burgess; 1915, Reeve - A.H. Simpson, Councillors - Agar, Burgess, Messro; 1916 Reeve - Agar, Councillors - I. Washburn, S. Burgess; 1917—Reeve - R.M. Tiffin, Councillors - Brue, Findlay, Christian; 1919—Reeve - R.M. Lee, Councillors - Johnson; 1920—Reeve - R.M. Lee, Councillors - Hutson, Tiffin; 1921—Reeve - R.M. Lee, Councillors - Findlay, Tiffin; 1922—Reeve - D. Johnstone, Councillors - G. Past, E. Tregale; 1926—Reeve - J.R. McGregor, Councillors - L.J. Simpson, J. Eaton; 1927—Mayor - J.R. McGregor, Councillors - L. Simpson, J. Eaton; 1928—Mayor - D. Johnstone, Councillors - J.R. McGregor, L.J. Simpson; 1929—Mayor - J.R. McGregor, Councillors - W.B. Holtsbaum, D. Johnstone; 1930—Mayor - D. Johnstone, Councillors - W.B. Holtsbaum, J.R. McGregor; 1931—Mayor - W.B. Holtsbaum, Councillors - J.R. McGregor, D. Johnstone; 1932—Mayor - J.R. McGregor, Councillors - D. Johnstone, W.B. Holtsbaum; 1933—Mayor - D. Johnstone, Councillors - J.R. McGregor, W.B. Holtsbaum; 1934—Mayor - W.B. Holtsbaum, Councillors - J.R. McGregor, D. Johnstone; 1935— Mayor - J.R. McGregor, Councillors - D. Johnstone, D.C. Bethune; 1936—Mayor - D. Johnstone, Councillors - D.C. Bethune, E.A. Larson; 1937—Mayor - D.C. Bethune, Councillors - D. Johnstone, E.A. Larson; 1938—Mayor - E.A. Larson, Councillors - D. Johnstone, D.C. Bethune; 1939—Mayor - D. Johnstone, Councillors - D.C Bethune, E.A Larson; 1940—Mayor - D. Johnstone, Councillors - D.C. Bethune, E.A. Larson; 1941—Mayor - E.A.Larson, Councillors - D. Johnstone, V. Nesbitt; 1942—Mayor - D. Johnstone, Councillors - E.A. Larson, V. Nesbitt; 1943—Mayor - V. Nesbitt, Councillors - D. Johnstone, E.A. Larson; 1944—Mayor - E.A.Larson, Councillors - D. Johnstone, C.F. Harford; 1945—Mayor - D. Johnstone, Councillors - C.F. Harford, E.A. Larson; 1946—Mayor - D. Johnstone, Councillors - C.F. Harford, E.A. Larson; 1947—Mayor - D. Johnstone, Councillors - E.A. Larson, W.L. Burr; 1948—Mayor - D. Johnstone, Councillors - E.A. Larson, W.L. Burr; 1949—Mayor - E.A. Larson, Councillors - W.L. Burr, L. Paulgaard; 1950—Mayor - E.A. Larson, Councillors - L. Paulgaard, J.D. Cottrell; 1951—Mayor - L. Paulgaard, Councillors - J.D. Cottrell, D. Johnstone. Town of Provost—Councillors November, 1952—Mayor D. Johnstone, Councillors: W.L. Burr, J.D. Cottrell; March 1953 - March 1954—Mayor D. Johnstone, Councillors: H.J. Schumacher, Wm. C. Acton, Wm. England, R.D. Meiklejohn, G. Chamney, Ellen Wright; March 1954 - March 1955—Mayor D. Johnstone, Councillors: Wm. C. Acton, G. Chamney, A.N. Nelson, J.A. Harper, R.D. Meiklejohn; March 1955 - March 1956—Mayor Wm. C. Acton, Councillors: W.A. England, L. Spilde, R.D. Meiklejohn, J.A. Harper, A. Nelson, G. Chamney; March 1956 - March 1957—Mayor Wm. C. Acton, Councillors: G. Chamney, R.D. Meiklejohn, N. Starr, A. Nelson, L. Spilde, W.A. England; March 1957 - October, 1958—Mayor A. Nelson (resigned Feb. 1958), G. Chamney (appointed Mar. 1958), Councillors: A. Wrightson (resigned Feb. 1958), J.F.Larson, G. Chamney, L. Spilde, W.A. England, R.D. Meiklejohn, S. Carter (elected Mar. 1958); October, 1958 - October, 1959—Mayor L. Spilde, Councillors: E. Otkin, A. Mills, S. Carter, R. Meiklejohn, J.F. Larson, G. Chamney; October, 1959 - October, 1960—Mayor L. Spilde, Councillors: A. Mills, E. Otkin, J.F. Larson, B. Doetzel, B. Miller, S. Carter; October, 1960 - October, 1961—Mayor L. Spilde, Councillors: A. Mills, E. Otkin, B. Doetzel, E. Wendell, B. Miller, W.L. MacKinnon; October, 1961 - October, 1962—Mayor R. Meiklejohn, Councillors: C. Fulmore, W. Ruttan, E. Wendell, W.L. MacKinnon, B. Doetzel, B. Miller; October, 1962 - October, 1963—Mayor G. Holmes, Councillors: K. Cooke, J.J. Gunn, W. Ruttan, W.L. MacKinnon, E. Wendell, C. Fulmore; October, 1963 - October, 1964—Mayor G. Holmes, Councillors: W. Ruttan, W.L. MacKinnon, C. Fulmore, K. Cooke, J.J. Gunn, E. Wendell; October, 1964 - October, 1965—Mayor G. Holmes (resigned Feb. 65), Councillors: C. Fulmore (Acting Mayor Feb. 65), J.J. Gunn, W.L. MacKinnon, E. Wendell, K. Cooke, J.Hnatuik; October, 1965 - October, 1966—Mayor Acton, Councillors: D. Bertschi, B. Miller, W.L. MacKinnon, J. Hnatuik, C. Fulmore, E. Wendell; October, 1966 - October, 1967—Mayor C. Fulmore, Councillors: Dr. A. Randlesome (resigned Aug. 67), Dr. J. Hnatuik, D. Bertschi, B. Miller, W.L. MacKinnon, C. Swanson; October, 1967 - October, 1968—Mayor C. Fulmore, Councillors: D. Bertschi, B. Miller, W.L. MacKinnon, C. Swanson, Dr. J. Hnatuik, G. Chamney; October, 1968 - October, 1969—Mayor C. Fulmore, Councillors: W. L. MacKinnon, C. Swanson, B. Miller, Dr. J. Hnatuik (resigned Mar. 69), G. Chamney, D. Bertschi; October, 1969 - October, 1970—Mayor C. Fulmore, Councillors: D. Bertschi, B. Miller, W.L. MacKinnon, G. E. Storey, G. Chamney, D. Bouma; October, 1970- October, 1971—Mayor C. Fulmore, Councillors: G.E. Chamney, D. Bouma, W.L. MacKinnon, G.E. Storey, D. Bertschi, B. Miller; October, 1971 - October, 1972—Mayor Dr. J. Hnatuik, Councillors: G.E. Chamney, J.J. Gunn, D. Bouma, B. Miller, G. Storey, W. Davis; October, 1972 - October, 1973—Mayor Dr. J. Hnatuik, Councillors: G.E. Chamney, J.J. Gunn, D. Bouma, B. Miller, G. Storey, W. Davis; October, 1973 - October, 1974—Mayor Dr. J. Hnatuik, Councillors: G.E. Chamney, J.J. Gunn, D. Bouma, B. Miller, G. Storey, W. Davis; October, 1974 - October, 1977—Mayor Dr. J. Hnatuik, Councillors: G.E. Chamney, F. B. Gregory, M. Schielke, D. Bouma, L. Hawtin, R. Berkan (resigned Mar.77); October, 1977 - October, 1980—Mayor Dr. J. Hnatuik(resigned May 79), Councillors: G.E. Chamney, F.B. Gregory, M. Schielke, L.Sharp (resigned Apr 79), R. F. McCormick, L. Hawtin(resigned Mar.78), C. Stempfle (elected May 78, appointed Mayor May 79), L. Galick (elected May 79); October, 1980 - October, 1983—Mayor C. Stempfle, Councillors: A. Drynan, L. Galick, D. McDonald, B. Miller, V.B. Nesbitt, G. E. Chamney; October, 1983 - October, 1986—Mayor A. Drynan, Councillors: W. Deweert (resigned July 1986), B. Miller (resigned Dec. 1984), B. Johnstone, V.B. Nesbitt, L.Galick, G.N. McMartin, G. Meiklejohn (elected Feb. 1985); October 1986, - October 1989—Mayor A. Drynan (resigned Mar. 1987), K. E. Knox (elected Apr. 1987), Councillors: D. Brouwer, V.B. Nesbitt, L. Galick, B. Johnstone (resigned Mar. 1987), H. Reschny, C. Stempfle, K. Bowers (elected Apr. 1987); October 1989 - October 1992— Mayor K.E. Knox, Councillors: N. Whiting, D. Brouwer, V. B. Nesbitt, K. Bowers, H. Reschny, C. Stempfle, October 1992 - Oct 1995—Mayor K.E. Knox, Councillors: N. Whiting, D. Brouwer, C. Morrow, B. Miller, D. Stuckky, B. Kemp; October 1995 - October 1998—Mayor K.E. Knox, Councillors: N. Whiting, K. Larson, D. Gregory, B. Miller, D. Stuckky, D. Kobes; October 1998 - October 2001—Mayor K.E. Knox, Councillors: N. Whiting, K. Larson, D. Gregory, B. Miller, J. M. Dennehy, D. Sparrow (resigned July 1999), D. Stuckky (elected August 1999); October 2001 - Present—Mayor K.E. Knox, Councillors: N. Whiting, B. Varty, D. Gregory, T. Ward, J. M. Dennehy, and D. Chopek. Print Version and pictures in July 10 Edition of The Provost News Want to Subscribe to The Provost News? Click here..