RM of Pleasant Valley

No. 288

History
History
The R.M. of Pleasant Valley No. 288 was incorporated on December 11, 1911. History of the first meeting of council of the R.M. of Pleasant Valley No. 288. The First meeting of the Local Improvement District No. 288 was held on Monday February 21, 1910 in McGee with councilors Graber, Thompson, McIntosh & Reid present. The first meeting of the R.M. of Pleasant Valley No. 288 was held on January 2, 1912 in McGee at the residence of T.G. Gales with Reeve Wall presiding with the following Councilors present: I. Saunderson, P. Hunt, A. Boag, W. Deacon & Gales. Absent: Councillor W.J. Graber. The declaration of Councilors was presented by the Returning Officer to the Reeve who accepted all but that of Mr. T.G. Gales as it was kindly pointed out by the Reeve that Mr. Gale under Section 93-129 of Ordinance was not eligible to hold office as councillor in a division in which he was not a resident. Mr. Gales at once resigned. W.B. Van Alstyne was elected to the position of Secretary -Treasurer. Councillor indemnity was set at $4.00 a meeting for the Reeve and $3.00 for councilors and .10 cents for mileage. In recent history, the 1990’s saw many changes for the R.M. of Pleasant Valley. There were a number of changes on Council as well as a change of location for the R.M. Office. The municipal office moved from its location at 216-7th St. E. in Rosetown to its new location at 207 Highway 4 North. This change was due to the R.M. entering into a contractual administrative arrangement with the R.M. of Marriott No. 317. The first meeting of Council in the new office was held on April 18th, 1996. The previous office was rented to Entrepreneurs 2000, the regional economic development authority. In July 2010 the office was sold to the Sun West School Division. In January 2001, Jerry Spence became the Reeve for the R.M. when he replaced longtime Reeve John DeConinck Smith. The municipality presented a print to Mr. Smith to thank him for his many years of service. Unfortunately Mr. Smith passed away a few weeks later, following a lengthy illness. Also, in 2001 the R.M. financially supported the Hamlet of Fiske as they proceeded to dig a new community well for the Hamlet. In May 2002 the R.M. was declared a disaster area due to the continuing severe drought conditions. Help was on its way from the R.M. of Longlaketon from the eastern side of the province with donations of hay that were distributed to ratepayers by way of a “hay draw”. Ratepayers who needed hay were to put their name in the draw at the R.M. office where the winner was picked at a later date. The R.M. sent a letter of “Thanks” to the R.M. of Longlaketon and the other people and businesses that donated time and money to get the hay to our R.M. In June 2002 Councilor Stuart Holtzman was nominated for the Queen’s medal and received the medal for his many years of service to the municipality. In April 2005 Council made a recommendation to MLA Elwin Hermanson that Ian and Sandra Cross be nominated to receive the Centennial Medal for Outstanding Citizens. They received the award in the fall of 2005 for their many hours of community service in Fiske and surrounding area. The 2005 R.M. of Pleasant Valley Council consisted of Reeve Jerry Spence, and Councillors David Walker, Byron Siemens, Ken Cross, David Lamarsh, Blake Jeffries, and Gordon Houston; Administrator Jim Reiter and Office Assistant Michelle McQueen. The R.M. of Pleasant Valley No. 288 celebrated its 100th anniversary on June 11, 2011 at the Fiske Hall. In April of 2023 construction began on the New Joint Municipal Office on the lot next to the old Municipal Office (207 Highway 4 North). This office has become the official home of both the RM of Pleasant Valley No. 288 and the RM of Marriott No. 317. Construction of the new office wrapped up in October of 2023. Administration was officially moved over by October 21, 2023. The old Municipal Office was sold and relocated to Anglia, SK.