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Former treasurer a vault full of MD history

The MD of Foothills celebrated the birthday of a man who worked for the municipality before it even came to be. Leonard Van Tighem, the MD’s first secretary-treasurer, celebrated his 100th birthday with council during its public meeting on Nov.
Former MD of Foothills secretary-treasurer Leonard Van Tighem is presented with a painting in celebration of his 100th birthday on Nov. 3 at the MD of Foothills office in
Former MD of Foothills secretary-treasurer Leonard Van Tighem is presented with a painting in celebration of his 100th birthday on Nov. 3 at the MD of Foothills office in High River. From left is, Highwood MLA George Groeneveld, MD of Foothills Reeve Larry Spilak, Van Tighem’s son Pat Van Tighem and his daughter Anne (Van Tighem) Gagnon.

The MD of Foothills celebrated the birthday of a man who worked for the municipality before it even came to be.

Leonard Van Tighem, the MD’s first secretary-treasurer, celebrated his 100th birthday with council during its public meeting on Nov. 3 in High River.

He started working for what was then the MD of Turner Valley in 1946 after he got out of the service. The MD of Foothills was formed in 1954 by taking land from the County of Vulcan as well as High River, Black Diamond, Turner Valley and Okotoks areas.

Van Tighem got the job in 1946 while serving Canada in Europe during the demobilization of troops after the Second World War.

“Dad got the job because his sister applied for the job for him while he was in Europe,” explained Anne Gagnon, Van Tighem’s daughter. “In fact, when he came to High River, he had to work in uniform until he was decommissioned from the army.”

Turner Valley was designated a MD not a county. He was opposed to the idea of the County of Foothills.

“With a county, you had some councillors being school trustees too,” Van Tighem said. “I didn’t want part of the council working more than others. I wanted to keep them (school and municipal) separated.”

The MD of Foothills office was originally in the present Dr. Adam Jeeva’s office in High River. Van Tighem was instrumental in building a new MD administration office in 1963. (All of the MD’s offices have been located at its present location on Macleod Trail in High River. Jeeva’s office was relocated when the MD’s new office was built in 1963.)

“Dad and the assistant superintendent, Tommy Motil, along with the council was instrumental in getting that building built in 1963,” Gagnon said.

The building was redesigned and amalgamated with the Town of High River offices in 2003.

Although he retired from the M.D. of Foothills in 1976, he was often in demand after his official retirement, according to MD manager Harry Riva Cambrin.

Van Tighem was called upon to open a floor vault when staff couldn’t get it open in the mid 1980s.

As well, Van Tighem was a wealth of information.

“We always had to track you down to ask historical questions, like ‘What happened here?’ and ‘Why did we do that,’” Riva Cambrin told the former secretary-treasurer.

Van Tighem was involved in municipal district politics after retiring as secretary-treasurer operating as the MD’s chief returning officer for municipal elections until 1985.

He was also instrumental in giving a hard-working farmhand his first job working with taxpayers’ money.

“He was the first man who ever hired me,” said Highwood MLA George Groeneveld, who grew up on the Groeneveld family farm near Blackie. “The amazing thing was, my older brother Flores had worked here before me — and Leonard hired me.”

Groeneveld said he would work up to 13 hours a day for the princely sum of $1.40 an hour.

“It was great working for you at that time,” Groeneveld told Van Tighem. “Congratulations on your 100th birthday.”

Van Tighem worked for the MD when present Coun. Doug Longson’s father, John Longson, was reeve in the 1970s.

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