Rissa Municipality

Rissa is a former municipality in the old Sør-Trøndelag county in Norway in the Fosen region. The municipality existed from 1860 until its dissolution on 1 January 2018 when it became part of the newly created Indre Fosen Municipality in Trøndelag county. The administrative centre of the municipality was the village of Årnset. Other villages in the municipality included Askjem, Hasselvika, Husbysjøen, Rørvika, Råkvåg, Sørfjorden, and Stadsbygd.

Prior to its dissolution in 2018, the municipality was the 179th largest by area out of the then 426 municipalities in Norway. Rissa Municipality was the 158th most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 6,628. The municipality's population density was and its population had increased by 4.1% over the last decade.

General information

Municipal history

The former municipality of Rissen was established in 1860 when it was separated from the large Stadsbygd Municipality. Initially, Rissen Municipality had 3,733 residents. The spelling of the name was later changed to Rissa Municipality. On 1 January 1905, the southwestern district of the municipality (population: 1,019) on the west side of the Trondheimsfjord was separated to form the new Lensvik Municipality. This left Rissa Municipality with 3,394 residents. During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the Schei Committee. On 1 January 1964, most of Stadsbygd Municipality (except for the Ingdalen area) and the southern part of Stjørna Municipality were merged with Rissa to form a new, larger Rissa Municipality.

On 1 January 2018, Rissa Municipality and its neighbor Leksvik Municipality were merged to form the newly created Indre Fosen Municipality which became part of the new Trøndelag county on the same date.

Toponymy

The municipality (originally the parish) was historically named "Rissen", or more recently spelled "Rissa" (Template:Langx). This was probably the old name of the brackish basin of Botn (literally "the bottom" of the fjord). Even though this is a heavily land-locked fjord with a river-like inlet from the Trondheimsfjord (it was probably a shallow bay in prehistoric times). The name is probably derived from the verb Template:Wikt-lang which means "raise" or "rise". (The average water level of Botnen is today about above mean sea level and the surface water is almost fresh from accumulated internal runoff.) Historically, the name of the municipality was spelled Rissen. On 3 November 1917, a royal resolution changed the spelling of the name of the municipality to Rissa.

Coat of arms

The coat of arms was granted on 23 January 1987 and it was in use until 1 January 2018 when the municipality was dissolved. The official blazon is "Vert, a chaplet of three quatrefoils argent" (Template:Langx). This means the arms have a green field (background) and the charge is a chaplet (crown) with three quatrefoils. The charge has a tincture of argent which means it is commonly colored white, but if it is made out of metal, then silver is used. The crown design was chosen to symbolize a similar crown of Skule Bårdsson that is depicted on an old tombstone at the Nidaros Cathedral. Bårdsson was the founder of Rein kloster at the Rein estate (which he also owned) in Rissa. The crown is a typical headdress used by the medieval Norwegian dukes. Typically, there are five quatrefoils on a crown like this, but Rissa has only three to symbolize the three municipalities that were merged in 1964 to form Rissa (Rissa, Stadsbygd, and Stjørna). The arms were designed by Oscar Bergsaune. The municipal flag has the same design as the coat of arms.

Geography

The municipality was located on the southern end of the Fosen peninsula along the Trondheimsfjord and the Stjørnfjord. The large lake Storvatnet was located on the eastern border with Leksvik Municipality. To the north was Åfjord Municipality, to the east was Bjugn Municipality. Ørland Municipality was located to the northwest, and Leksvik Municipality was to the east. The highest point in the municipality was the tall mountain Ytter Skurvhatten. The Flakk–Rørvik Ferry crosses the Trondheimsfjord connecting the village of Rørvika with the city of Trondheim.

Landslide

On 29 April 1978, a major quick-clay landslide occurred south of Rissa at . An area of , of quick clay slid down into the shores of Botn. The landslip caused a tsunami to strike the north shore at Leira, which destroyed a saw mill and flooded several houses. Out of the 40 people who were in the area at the time of the slide, one person died. A large portion of the slide was recorded on film by two amateur photographers. Almost four years after the event, a new road and stabilisation work in the area had removed most traces of the slide. The area being returned to agricultural use.

Governance

While it existed, Rissa 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 Frostating Court of Appeal.

Municipal council

The municipal council of Rissa Municipality was made up of 23 representatives that are elected to four year terms. The tables below show the historical composition of the council by political party.

Rissa kommunestyre 2015–2017   

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	5
	Progress Party	1
	Green Party	1
	Conservative Party	7
	Christian Democratic Party	1
	Pensioners' Party	2
	Centre Party	4
	Socialist Left Party	1
	Liberal Party	1
Total number of members:		23
Note: On 1 January 2018, Rissa Municipality became part of Indre Fosen Municipality.

Rissa kommunestyre 2011–2015   

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	5
	Progress Party	2
	Conservative Party	8
	Christian Democratic Party	1
	Pensioners' Party	1
	Centre Party	4
	Socialist Left Party	1
	Liberal Party	1
Total number of members:		23

Rissa kommunestyre 2007–2011   

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	11
	Progress Party	2
	Conservative Party	2
	Christian Democratic Party	2
	Pensioners' Party	1
	Centre Party	6
	Socialist Left Party	2
	Liberal Party	1
Total number of members:		27

Rissa kommunestyre 2003–2007   

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	10
	Progress Party	2
	Conservative Party	2
	Christian Democratic Party	2
	Centre Party	7
	Socialist Left Party	3
	Liberal Party	1
Total number of members:		27

Rissa kommunestyre 1999–2003   

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	15
	Progress Party	1
	Conservative Party	4
	Christian Democratic Party	4
	Centre Party	9
	Socialist Left Party	2
	Liberal Party	2
Total number of members:		37

Rissa kommunestyre 1995–1999   

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	12
	Progress Party	1
	Conservative Party	3
	Christian Democratic Party	4
	Centre Party	13
	Socialist Left Party	2
	Liberal Party	2
Total number of members:		37

Rissa kommunestyre 1991–1995   

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	10
	Conservative Party	4
	Christian Democratic Party	4
	Centre Party	13
	Socialist Left Party	5
	Liberal Party	1
Total number of members:		37

Rissa kommunestyre 1987–1991   

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	13
	Progress Party	1
	Conservative Party	5
	Christian Democratic Party	4
	Centre Party	10
	Socialist Left Party	2
	Liberal Party	2
Total number of members:		37

Rissa kommunestyre 1983–1987   

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	13
	Conservative Party	6
	Christian Democratic Party	5
	Centre Party	9
	Socialist Left Party	1
	Liberal Party	2
	Local list for South-Stjørna	1
Total number of members:		37

Rissa kommunestyre 1979–1983   

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	12
	Conservative Party	6
	Christian Democratic Party	5
	Centre Party	9
	Socialist Left Party	1
	Liberal Party	1
	Local list for South-Stjørna	3
Total number of members:		37

Rissa kommunestyre 1975–1979   

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	10
	Conservative Party	3
	Christian Democratic Party	6
	New People's Party	1
	Centre Party	12
	Socialist Left Party	1
	Liberal Party	1
	Local list for South-Stjørna	3
Total number of members:		37

Rissa kommunestyre 1979–1975   

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	13
	Conservative Party	3
	Christian Democratic Party	5
	Centre Party	11
	Socialist People's Party	1
	Liberal Party	4
Total number of members:		37

Rissa kommunestyre 1967–1971   

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	12
	Conservative Party	4
	Christian Democratic Party	5
	Centre Party	9
	Socialist People's Party	1
	Liberal Party	6
Total number of members:		37

Rissa kommunestyre 1963–1967   

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	14
	Conservative Party	3
	Christian Democratic Party	6
	Centre Party	10
	Liberal Party	4
Total number of members:		37

Rissa herredsstyre 1959–1963   

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	5
	Conservative Party	1
	Christian Democratic Party	3
	Centre Party	6
	Liberal Party	3
	Local List(s)	3
Total number of members:		21

Rissa herredsstyre 1955–1959   

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	6
	Conservative Party	1
	Christian Democratic Party	3
	Farmers' Party	6
	Liberal Party	3
	Local List(s)	2
Total number of members:		21

Rissa herredsstyre 1951–1955   

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	6
	Conservative Party	2
	Christian Democratic Party	2
	Farmers' Party	5
	Liberal Party	4
	Local List(s)	1
Total number of members:		20

Rissa herredsstyre 1947–1951   

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	5
	Christian Democratic Party	3
	Farmers' Party	4
	Liberal Party	5
	Local List(s)	3
Total number of members:		20

Rissa herredsstyre 1945–1947   

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	5
	Communist Party	1
	Christian Democratic Party	2
	Farmers' Party	4
	Liberal Party	5
	Local List(s)	3
Total number of members:		20

Rissa herredsstyre 1937–1941*   

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	3
	Conservative Party	1
	Farmers' Party	6
	Liberal Party	6
	Local List(s)	4
Total number of members:		20
Note: Due to the German occupation of Norway during World War II, no elections were held for new municipal councils until after the war ended in 1945.

Mayors

The mayor (Template:Langx) of Rissa Municipality was the political leader of the municipality and the chairperson of the municipal council. Here is a list of people who held this position:

• 1860–1863: Henrik Horneman
• 1864–1865: Svend Busch Schmidt
• 1866–1869: Eiler Hagerup Nannestad
• 1870–1873: Svend Busch Schmidt
• 1874–1875: Thomas Horneman
• 1876–1881: Ebbe Bakøen
• 1882–1895: Torger Halten (V)
• 1896–1897: Ole H. Rokseth (H)
• 1898–1898: Torger Halten (V)
• 1899–1902: Fredrik Horneman (H)
• 1903–1904: Ole H. Rokseth (H)
• 1905–1907: Bernt Johannes Ræder (V)
• 1908–1910: Andreas H. Berg (V)
• 1911–1916: Bernt Johannes Ræder (V)
• 1917–1919: Johan A. Dybdahl (V)
• 1920–1922: Elias Aalmo (V)
• 1923–1925: Peter L. Kimo (Bp)
• 1926–1928: Elias Aalmo (V)
• 1929–1931: Peter L. Kimo (Bp)
• 1932–1934: Gustav J. Krognes (Bp)
• 1935–1941: Peter L. Kimo (Bp)
• 1942–1945: Martin Aalmo (NS)
• 1945–1945: Peter L. Kimo (Bp)
• 1946–1947: Martin Skaug (V)
• 1948–1954: Henrik O. Grenne (Bp)
• 1955–1955: Petter Åsarød (V)
• 1956–1959: Marentzius Selven (LL)
• 1960–1967: Andreas Fallin (Sp)
• 1968–1971: Arne Holten (V)
• 1972–1979: Magnar Indseth (Sp)
• 1980–1985: Johan Arnt Sannan (H)
• 1986–1991: Olav Lindgaard (Sp)
• 1992–1995: Ivar Dybdahl (Sp)
• 1995–1998: Astrid Rathe (V)
• 1998–2011: Per Skjærvik (V)
• 2011–2017: Ove Vollan (H)
• 2017–2017: Liv Darell (Sp)

Economy

Fosen Yards

One major employer in Rissa is Fosen Yard AS. Opened in 1972 as Fosen Mekaniske Verksteder, it has built a number of vessels used in Norway and abroad:

• MV Blue Puttees - ferry with Marine Atlantic
• MV Highlanders - ferry with Marine Atlantic
• MV Leif Ericson - ferry with Marine Atlantic

The company was originally Frengen Slip and Motorverksted (c. 1918) located in Fevåg and moved to Fosen by Jens Petter Bye who acquired Frengen Slip and Motorverksted in 1962.

Culture

Churches

File:Rissa kirke.jpg

Rissa Church was built in the 19th century for the Church of Norway.

The Church of Norway had four parishes () within Rissa Municipality. It was part of the Fosen prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Nidaros.

Churches in Rissa Municipality

Parish ()	Church name	Location of the church	Year built
Hasselvika	Hasselvika Church	Hasselvika	1951
Rissa	Rissa Church	Leira	1888
	Rein Church	Reinsgrenda	1932
Stadsbygd	Stadsbygd Church	Stadsbygd	1842
Sør-Stjørna	Ramsvik Church	Råkvåg	1909
	Frengen Church	Frengen	1972

See also

• List of former municipalities of Norway

External links

• The Quick Clay Landslide at Rissa (Youtube video)