Skodje Municipality

Skodje (Template:IPA or Template:IPA) is a former municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The Template:Convert municipality existed from 1849 until its dissolution in 2020 (except for a short time from 1965-1977). The area is now part of Ålesund Municipality in the traditional district of Sunnmøre. The administrative centre was the village of Skodje. The other main village in the municipality was Valle. The European Route E39/E136 highway runs through the municipality, connecting it to the nearby cities of Ålesund and Molde.

Prior to its dissolution in 2020, the Template:Convert municipality was the 365th largest by area out of the 422 municipalities in Norway. Skodje Municipality was the 209th most populous municipality in Norway with a population of about 4,764. The municipality's population density was Template:Convert and its population had increased by 22.1% over the previous 10-year period.<ref name="ssb pop">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="ssb area">Template:Cite web</ref>

General information

File:Håeimsvika.jpg

View of Håeimsvika

File:Skodjebru3.jpg

View of the Skodje Bridge

The municipality of Skodje was established in 1849 when the large Borgund Municipality was divided into two: the eastern part (population: 2,170) became the new Skoue Municipality (the spelling later changed) and the western part (population: 4,461) remained as Borgund Municipality. On 1 January 1902, Skodje Municipality was divided into two: the northern part (population: 1,547) became the new Vatne Municipality and the southern part (population: 1,551) remained as a smaller Skodje Municipality.<ref name="Dag">Template:Cite book</ref>

During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the Schei Committee. On 1 January 1965, there was a merger between three neighbors: Stordal Municipality (population: 1,052) in the south, Ørskog Municipality (population: 1,664) in the centre, and Skodje Municipality (population: 2,048) in the north, creating a new, larger Ørskog Municipality. This was merger was short-lived. On 1 January 1977, the merger was reversed all three municipalities were separated once again. This left the newly reconstituted Skodje Municipality with a population of 2,634.<ref name="Dag" />

On 1 January 2020, Skodje Municipality was merged with Haram Municipality, Ørskog Municipality, Sandøy Municipality, and Ålesund Municipality to form a new, larger Ålesund Municipality.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Name

The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the old Skodje farm (Template:Langx) since the first Skodje Church was built there. The first element comes from the word Template:Wikt-lang which has an unknown meaning. The last element is Template:Wikt-lang which means "meadow" or "pasture". Before 1879, the name was written Skoue.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Coat of arms

The coat of arms was granted on 19 June 1987 and they were in use until the municipality was dissolved on 1 January 2020. The official blazon is "Vert, an arched embattled bridge Or" (Template:Langx). This means the arms have a green field (background) and the charge is an arched bridge design. The charge has a tincture of Or which means it is commonly colored yellow, but if it is made out of metal, then gold is used. The design was meant to mimic the local Skodje Bridge, a very old bridge which crosses over the Straumen river, a major architectural feat at its time. The arms were designed by Jarle Skuseth. The municipal flag has the same design as the coat of arms.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Churches

The Church of Norway had one parish (Template:Lang) within Skodje Municipality. It was part of the Austre Sunnmøre prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Møre.

Churches in Skodje

Parish (Template:Lang)	Church name	Location of the church	Year built
Skodje	Skodje Church	Skodje	1860

Geography

The municipality of Skodje shared land borders with Haram Municipality to the north, Vestnes Municipality to the northeast, Ørskog Municipality to the southeast, and Ålesund Municipality to the west. Across the Storfjorden to the south was Sykkylven Municipality. Skodje Municipality was located on the mainland and also on part of the island of Uksenøya, plus many small surrounding islands. The Ellingsøyfjorden cut into the municipality from the west. The highest point in the municipality was the Template:Convert tall mountain Frostadtinden, a tripoint on the border of Skodje Municipality, Vestnes Municipality, and Haram Municipality.<ref name="elev" />

Government

Skodje Municipality was responsible for primary education (through 10th grade), outpatient health services, senior citizen services, welfare and other social services, zoning, economic development, and municipal roads and utilities. The municipality was governed by a municipal council of directly elected representatives. The mayor was indirectly elected by a vote of the municipal council.<ref name="ks">Template:Cite SNL</ref> The municipality was under the jurisdiction of the Sunnmøre District Court and the Frostating Court of Appeal.

Municipal council

The municipal council (Template:Lang) of Skodje is made up of 21 representatives that are elected to four year terms. The tables below show the historical composition of the council by political party. Template:Div col Template:Kommunestyre table Template:Kommunestyre table Template:Kommunestyre table Template:Kommunestyre table Template:Kommunestyre table Template:Kommunestyre table Template:Kommunestyre table Template:Kommunestyre table Template:Kommunestyre table Template:Kommunestyre table Template:Kommunestyre table Template:Kommunestyre table Template:Kommunestyre table Template:Kommunestyre table Template:Kommunestyre table Template:Kommunestyre table Template:Kommunestyre table Template:Div col end

Mayors

Template:Incomplete list The mayor (Template:Langx) of Skodje was the political leader of the municipality and the chairperson of the municipal council. The following people have held this position (incomplete list):<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Template:Div col

• 1852–1853: Sivert Flaathe<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• 1856–1869: Ludvig Daae (V)<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• 1870–1874: Christen Sorthe<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• 1874–1877: Johan Slyngstad<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• 1878–1879: Knud Stafset<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• 1880–1881: Johan Slyngstad<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• 1882–1885: Amund Skodje<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• 1886–1891: Knud Stafset<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• 1891–1892: Rasmus Hagen<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• 1892–1893: Knud Stafset<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• 1893–1895: Amund Skodje<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• 1895–1897: Arne Langset<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• 1898–1898: Knud Stafset<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• 1898–1899: Rasmus Hagen<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• 1899–1900: D. Liset<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• 1901–1901: D. Hagen<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• 1902–1902: Ole P. Klokk<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• 1903–1912: Andreas Langnes<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• 1913–1922: Lars J. Valde
• 1923–1924: Trygve Brusdal
• 1925–1925: Johan Salkjelsvik
• 1926–1928: Andreas Langnes<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• 1929–1934: Lars J. Valde
• 1935–1941: Rasmus Øvstegård
• 1948–1961: Trygve Brusdal
• 1961–1965: Jostein Valde
• (1965–1977: part of Ørskog Municipality)
• 1977–1983: Otto Berg
• 1983–1987: Torunn Möisæter (H)
• 1987–1991: Haldor Aasebø (KrF)
• 1991–1995: Per Stette
• 1995–2003: Ole Stokke (V)
• 2003–2007: Terje Vadset (FrP)
• 2007–2011: Modolf Hareide (Sp)
• 2011–2015: Terje Vadset (FrP)
• 2015–2019: Dag Olav Tennfjord (H)

Economy

Skodje Municipality's economy was mostly based on agriculture and forestry, but there was also industry, lumber, and furniture-industry located there.<ref name="snl">Template:Cite SNL</ref> By the 21st century, some industries had relocated from the nearby town of Ålesund to Skodje. Skodje had a young population, where 60% of the people were under the age of 40.

See also

• List of former municipalities of Norway