Kenneth L. Pursley , July 29, 2011
Scope and Contents
This collection contains over 9 hours of digital audio recordings. The following individuals took part in the Boise Foothills Levy Anniversary Oral History Collection.
Fred Alleman
Denise Arellano
Annie Black
Linda Hawkins Caufield
Jim Hall
Chas F McDevitt
Lauren McLean
Suki Molina
Ken Pursely
Brandy Wilson
Paul Woods
Dates
- July 29, 2011
Biographical / Historical
Ken Pursley was born in Sandpoint, Idaho. He founded the Boise, Idaho law firm Pursley-Givens LLC in 1977. In addition to serving as a member of the Foothills Conservation Advisory Committee for a number of years, he was the former Chairman of the Boise Greenbelt and the Nature Conservancy, and a founding partner of Boise law firm Givens Pursley.
Extent
285.07 Megabytes
Language of Materials
From the Collection: English
Abstract
In his short interview with Stephanie Milne on July 29, 2011, Ken Pursley of Givens and Pursley law firm offered his recollections of the serial foothills levy campaign. Although he was not directly involved in the campaign and remembered very little from it, he did explain how he was involved in strategizing on the campaign before it even began. He explained he and a group of people (whom he could not recall) were selected to be on a committee to frame the main issues/values concerning the campaign. He cited values like wildlife, hiking, plant life, visual backdrop and connectivity of a city. He described the campaign’s best result came from their articulation of values and superior presentation. He alluded to positive messaging and their desire to make sure the campaign was not anti-development. Additionally, he commented on the correlation between the Green Belt project (which he was a part of) and the Foothills conservation effort.
TRACK ONE 00:00 1 Introductions
00:29 1 Ken Pursley discussed the widespread interest in preserving the Boise Foothills. He explained how he first became involved in the effort to preserve the foothills when then mayor Brent Coles asked him to sit on a city committee. 02:25 2 Pursley described how he was involved in the strategy behind the campaign. He discussed how the strategy of the campaign was framed from a public perception viewpoint. He specifically explained the values the campaign hoped the public would identify with.
06:12 3 Pursley listed the names of people who served on the mayor appointed city committee with him. 07:07 4 Pursley described the meetings he attended and how the group would strategize. He recalled the committee identifying broad areas or “blobs” the campaign targeted for purchase.
08:35 4 Ken Pursley explained that the figure of $10 million was already established when he became involved with the foothills effort. He also described how the committee did not want the tax for the foothills levy to be burdensome to Boise homeowners. 09:21 5 Instead of an anti-development campaign, Pursley asserted it was a conscious effort to have positive messaging as an integral part of the campaign.
11:30 6 Pursley explained an important factor in the Foothills Serial Levy was the campaign’s ability to articulate values that the public, especially those outside of the north end, could identify with. 12:29 6 Pursley described his time serving as a member of the Foothills Conservation Advisory Board. He remembered lively discussions and working toward land acquisitions such as the Blessinger property.
17: 04 7 In respect to the Foothills Serial Levy, Pursley discussed how he wants future generations to know that if campaigns identify the correct values, people will be willing to pay for an important resource. 18:54 8 Pursley described Mayor Brent Coles as the official public face of the campaign.
20:20 9 Pursley discussed the similarities between the Boise Greenbelt and the Boise Foothills. He cited similar values, including health, connectivity, and closeness with the environment. 24:16 10 According to Pursley, the legacy of the foothills is the connectivity they have provided to the City of Boise. He discussed the foothills make Boise a more livable city.
27: 32 13 Pursley mentioned that he doesn’t have one specific spot in the foothills he enjoys most. Instead, he spoke about how much he liked walking in all of the foothills during the spring when wildflowers are blooming. 28:16 13 END OF TRACK ONE
END OF RECORDING
Names and Places Index
Boise Foothills Boise Foothills Serial Levy
Boise Greenbelt Foothills Conservation Advisory Board
Mayor Brent Coles
Source
- Pursley, Kenneth L. (April 4, 1940-October 21, 2015) (Narrator, Person)
Repository Details
Part of the Collections Repository