Michael Hogan (Alberta politician)

Michael Hogan (August 16, 1872 – June 30, 1943) was a businessman, politician, and longest-serving mayor of St. Albert, Alberta.

Michael Hogan was born August 16, 1872 in Park Hill, Ontario to Irish immigrants. He was a teacher and farmer in Ontario before immigrating to Alberta in 1900. He taught in Strathcona (which was amalgamated with Edmonton in 1912) before moving to St. Albert. In 1910 he entered the insurance and real estate businesses with Lucien Boudreau; he would eventually buy Boudreau out.

Hogan became the secretary of the Municipal District of Ray (which was incorporated into the new Municipal District of Morinville in 1943) in 1905, and held the position until shortly before his death. He also served as Ray's police magistrate between 1917 and 1921, and was involved with the St. Albert Board of Trade and served on the St. Albert Town Council.

In 1919, Hogan was elected Mayor of St. Albert, a position that he would hold for twenty-four years, which is still a St. Albert record. At the time he took office, the town's finances were in poor shape. To cope with this situation, Hogan eliminated the town's policeman (who was responsible, in addition to the preservation of law and order, for such diverse tasks as sidewalk maintenance). In 1924, the town also reluctantly cut its teachers' salaries. In 1925, the policeman was restored and was ordered to "rid the town of idle men and men [sic?] and to keep children, particularly young girls, off the street at night."

These measures were not sufficient to turn St. Albert's finances around. In 1927, the report of the municipal inspector noted debts totalling $16,500 and commented that the town's "financial situation is not at all good." The same year, the policeman was eliminated once more - in favour of a Police Committee that would be responsible for hiring police on an ad hoc basis as needed - and just as quickly restored.

In 1928, an agreement was reached with Calgary Power to supply light, heat, and power to the town for the first time.

During the early part of the 1920s, an agreement was concluded between St. Albert and Edmonton for the latter's fire department to assist in putting out fires in St. Albert. This arrangement did not protect the town from a major fire in 1929 that gutted its downtown.

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