Morinville mayors will wear the town’s history on their shoulders from now on with a new chain of office.
Morinville Mayor Lloyd Bertschi was set to receive the new chain last night at a council meeting. The ornamental necklace features a large medallion at the bottom, with the town’s coat of arms attached to the larger chain.
The gold chain is laid over a bed of black velvet cloth and features 40 small brass nameplates, with other decorations in between.
Each brass plate features the name of a former town mayor — 24 in total — as well as the years they served.
There are also 16 blank plates for future office holders.
Bertschi’s name has not been added to the chain yet because the end of his term remains unclear, as he hasn’t revealed if he will seek re-election this fall.
The chain also has four wild roses — the provincial flower — and four golden maple leaves. Above the Morinville medallion is the provincial coat of arms and at the back of the chain is Canada’s coat of arms.
The chain was the brainchild of Coun. Joe Gosselin, who came up with the idea about a year ago and set to work on it largely in secret.
“I thought this was time. We are approaching our 100th anniversary [in 2011] and we don’t have a chain of office and I thought it was time that we had one”
Gosselin tried to keep the chain a secret from Bertschi until the formal presentation. He even sought council approval for the project at a meeting the mayor was forced to miss.
The chain will cost the town slightly less than $4,000. Gosselin said he initially set out to find a local company that could create a distinct chain, but found few people make such ornamental pieces, forcing the town to turn to a company in Ontario.
“I was trying to get something truly unique and I was having difficult finding someone who would make one.”
As the chain took shape, he was given updates and allowed to make changes. Some of the initial excitement had worn off, until it was delivered several weeks ago.
“When it finally arrived and I got to see it I was ecstatic about it.”
Gosselin, who won’t be running for council in the fall, said there are 19 duplicate medallions to the one on the chain of office. Mayors will be allowed to keep that medallion at the end of their term.
Four of Morinville’s former mayor’s are still alive and some were expected to accept medallions at the official unveiling, which happened after the Gazette went to press.
Gosselin said the chain isn’t about any one person or mayor, but the office.
“This is a chain of the office, not a chain of the mayor,” he said. “This is not Mayor Bertschi’s chain of office; it is the mayor of Morinville’s. He just happens to be that guy right now.”
The town plans to have the chain available for public viewing at town hall after a formal display case is built.
