Editing Stathelle (section)

==History==
Stathelle is an old [[market town|trading town]] and it was granted [[ladested]] rights (port town status) on 22 February 1774.<ref name="snl" /><ref name="NLF">{{Cite book |last=Helland |first=Amund |url=https://runeberg.org/norgeslof/8-2/0237.html |title=VIII. Bratsberg Amt. Anden del |publisher=H. Aschehoug & Company |year=1900 |series=Norges land og folk |location=Kristiania, Norway |page=225 |language=no |chapter=Stathelle ladested |access-date=2023-09-20}}</ref> In the middle of the 1800s, Stathelle was an enterprising seaport, characterized by the trading house established by [[Albert Blehr]] on Kjellestad, which was one of the nation's largest timber exporters. (Today there is a marina and a park in the same area.)<ref>The family of Albert Blehr who died in 1800, was documented by the Norwegian genealogist, [[C. S. Schilbred]], first chairman and founding member of the [[Norwegian Heraldry Society]] in ''Bygdebok for Bamble'' (published by Bamble kommune, 1968)</ref>

Brevik bridge was constructed during 1962. Previously travelers along the southern highway between [[Oslo]] and [[Stavanger]] had to take the ferry between the towns of [[Brevik, Norway|Brevik]] and Stathelle.

Hansen & Arntzen Co AS is a traditional shipyard in Stathelle that specializes in the restoration of vessels. Hansen & Arntzen AS Ekstrand Co. was established in 1929 as a family business. The company is known for its significant repair and restoration projects. Many famous ships have been restored there, including the Norwegian Royal Yacht ''[[HNoMY Norge]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Royal Yacht: History |url=http://www.kongehuset.no/c27324/artikkel/vis.html?tid=29296 |publisher=Kongehuset}}</ref>

===Name===
The town is named ''Stathelle''. The first element comes from the word {{wikt-lang|non|staðr}} which means "place" or "town". The last element is {{wikt-lang|non|hella}} which means "[[flagstone]]" or "slab of rock".<ref name="snl" />

===Municipal self-government (1838-1964)===
The town of Stathelle was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see [[formannskapsdistrikt]] law). During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the [[Schei Committee]]. On 1 January 1964, the town of Stathelle (population: 724) was merged with the nearby town of [[Langesund]] (population: 2,281) and the surrounding rural municipality of [[Bamble]] (population: 5,237) to form a new, larger [[Bamble Municipality]].<ref name="Dag">{{Cite book |last=Jukvam |first=Dag |year=1999 |title=Historisk oversikt over endringer i kommune- og fylkesinndelingen |url=http://www.ssb.no/emner/00/90/rapp_9913/rapp_9913.pdf |publisher=[[Statistics Norway|Statistisk sentralbyrå]] |language=no |isbn=9788253746845}}</ref>

While it existed, this municipality was responsible for [[primary education]] (through 10th grade), outpatient [[Health care|health services]], [[old age|senior citizen]] services, [[unemployment]], [[Social work|social services]], [[zoning]], [[economic development]], and municipal [[road]]s. During its existence, this municipality was governed by a [[Municipal council (Norway)|municipal council]] of [[Direct election|directly elected]] representatives. The [[mayor]] was [[Indirect election|indirectly elected]] by a vote of the municipal council.<ref name="ks">{{Cite encyclopedia |title=kommunestyre |encyclopedia=[[Store norske leksikon]] |publisher=[[Kunnskapsforlaget]] |url=https://snl.no/kommunestyre |date=2022-09-20 |editor-last=Hansen |editor-first=Tore |editor2-last=Vabo |editor2-first=Signy Irene |language=no |access-date=2023-08-03}}</ref> 

====Municipal council====
The [[Municipal council (Norway)|municipal council]] {{lang|no|(Bystyre)}} of Stathelle was made up of representatives that were elected to four year terms. The tables below show the historical composition of the council by political [[Political party|party]]. 
{{div col}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Stathelle
|city                      = yes
|start                     = 1960
|end                       = 1963
|reference                 = <ref>{{Cite web |date=1960 |title=Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1959 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_xii_022.pdf |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |location=Oslo, Norge |language=Norwegian }}</ref>
|Total                     = 17
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 8
|Høyre                     = 3
|Kristelig_Folkeparti      = 1
|Venstre                   = 5
|}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Stathelle
|city                      = yes
|start                     = 1956
|end                       = 1959
|reference                 = <ref>{{Cite web |date=1957 |title=Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1955 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_xi_252.pdf |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |location=Oslo, Norge |language=Norwegian }}</ref>
|collapsed                 = yes
|Total                     = 17
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 8
|Høyre                     = 2
|Kristelig_Folkeparti      = 1
|Venstre                   = 6
|}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Stathelle
|city                      = yes
|start                     = 1952
|end                       = 1955
|reference                 = <ref>{{Cite web |date=1952 |title=Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1951 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_xi_120.pdf |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |location=Oslo |language=Norwegian }}</ref>
|collapsed                 = yes
|Total                     = 20
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 8
|Høyre                     = 2
|Kristelig_Folkeparti      = 1
|Venstre                   = 9
|}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Stathelle
|city                      = yes
|start                     = 1948
|end                       = 1951
|reference                 = <ref>{{Cite web |date=1948 |title=Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1947 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_x_165.pdf |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |location=Oslo |language=Norwegian }}</ref>
|collapsed                 = yes
|Total                     = 20
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 8
|Høyre                     = 3
|Kristelig_Folkeparti      = 2
|Venstre                   = 7
|}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Stathelle
|city                      = yes
|start                     = 1945
|end                       = 1947
|reference                 = <ref>{{Cite web |date=1947 |title=Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1945 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_x_133.pdf |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |location=Oslo |language=Norwegian }}</ref>
|collapsed                 = yes
|Total                     = 20
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 10
|Høyre                     = 4
|Kristelig_Folkeparti      = 3
|Venstre                   = 3
|}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Stathelle
|city                      = yes
|start                     = 1938
|end                       = 1941* 
|reference                 = <ref>{{Cite web |date=1938 |title=Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1937 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_ix_133.pdf |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |location=Oslo |language=Norwegian }}</ref>
|collapsed                 = yes
|Total                     = 20
|H/FV                      = 8
|Venstre                   = 7
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 5
|}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Stathelle
|city                      = yes
|start                     = 1935
|end                       = 1937 
|reference                 = <ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_ix_057.pdf |title=Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1934 |date=1935 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |location=Oslo, Norge |language=Norwegian }}</ref>
|collapsed                 = yes
|Total                     = 20
|H/FV                      = 8
|Venstre                   = 6
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 6
}}
{{div col end}}