Vossestrand Municipality

The municipality of Vossestrand was created on 1 January 1868 when the old (large) Voss Municipality was divided into two separate municipalities. The northern part (population: 2,009) became Vossestrand Municipality and the southern part (population: 7,592) remained as a smaller Voss Municipality. On 21 August 1869, an unpopulated area of Voss Municipality was administratively transferred to Vossestrand Municipality. During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the Schei Committee. On 1 January 1964, the following areas were merged to form a new, larger Voss Municipality: Historically, the name of the municipality was spelled Vossestranden. On 3 November 1917, a royal resolution changed the spelling of the name of the municipality to Vossestrand, removing the definite form ending -en. Churches The Church of Norway had two parishes () within Vossestrand Municipality. At the time of the municipal dissolution, it was part of the Vossestrand prestegjeld and the Hardanger og Voss prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Bjørgvin. ==Geography==

The highest point in the municipality was the tall mountain Blåfjellet, located on the northern border with Vik Municipality. The large lake Oppheimsvatnet sat in the central part of the municipality. Vik Municipality (in Sogn og Fjordane county) was located to the north, Aurland Municipality (also in Sogn og Fjordane county) was located to the northeast, Voss Municipality was located to the east and south, and Evanger Municipality was located to the west. ==Government==

While it existed, Vossestrand 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. The municipality was under the jurisdiction of the Gulating Court of Appeal. Municipal council The municipal council of Vossestrand Municipality was made up of 17 representatives that were elected to four year terms. The tables below show the historical composition of the council by political party. {{Kommunestyre table {{Kommunestyre table {{Kommunestyre table {{Kommunestyre table {{Kommunestyre table {{Kommunestyre table Mayors The mayor () of Vossestrand Municipality was the political leader of the municipality and the chairperson of the municipal council. The following people have held this position: • 1868–1871: Christian Johannes Hammer • 1871–1880: Torstein Hellesnes • 1881–1910: Olav Brekke (MV) • 1911–1918: Eirik T. Hellesnes (V) • 1919–1925: Torstein Skjervheim (Bp) • 1926–1934: Sjur Bygd (Bp) • 1935–1941: Odd Hole Høen (Bp) • 1942–1945: Lars Rygg (NS) • 1945–1947: Odd Hole Høen (Bp) • 1948–1959: Lars A. Hauge (Bp) • 1960–1963: Per Årmot (Sp) ==See also==