Flip Kleffner, December 1, 2010
Scope and Contents
This collection contains recorded interviews with Boise citizens. Notable topics include Boise Bench history, Greenbelt history, Foothills Levy history, Boise Fire Department history, Boise Police Department history, and personal and political histories of former mayors and councilmembers.
Dates
- December 1, 2010
Biographical / Historical
Flip Kleffner was born in Lewiston, ID and moved to Boise in 1937 when his father opened up a sporting goods store. Kleffner attended school in Boise, and graduated from the University of Idaho. He played professional baseball before he came back to Boise to run the family athletic store with his brother. When they sold the store in 1974, which was also the end of his time on the City Council. After his term was up he became an Ada County Commissioner. He retired as the Alumni Director for the University of Idaho. Kleffner served on the City Council from 1972 to 1974.
Extent
585.9 Megabytes
Language of Materials
From the Collection: English
Abstract
Flip Kleffner served on the City Council from 1972-1974, a period when Boise was changing rapidly. Kleffner had experienced the pre-WWII Boise and had seen the effects of the growth. Like many cities in the nation, Boise adopted an urban renewal policy to revitalize its downtown. By 1972, many buildings had already been demolished in the downtown core, and plans were underway to construct a large, enclosed mall to entice suburban shoppers back into the downtown.
In an interview with Brandi Burns on December 1, 2010, Flip Kleffner discusses his early life growing up in Boise including his father’s sporting goods store. He describes the transition of Boise from a charter city with 35,000 residents to one with 70,000 two years after the charter was removed, the Model Cities program, and the development that occurred due to population growth. Kleffner discusses the changes occurring in the city after WWII, including the rapid commercial and industrial growth, the necessity for an urban renewal program, and the development of infrastructure and city services.
Time Index
Track One
00:00 Introduction.
00:45 Kleffner briefly discusses the first half of his life leading up to his time in city council, including place of birth, places of education, and employment record.
3:46 Kleffner discusses Urban Renewal, detailing the transition from a charter city of 35,000 to a city of 70,000 within two years after annexing the areas surrounding the charter territory. Kleffner discusses the Urban Renewal model cities panel that had been created in order to ensure the city development desired; the panel had requested his father presence, but he sent Kleffner instead, thus his introduction to politics.
5:01 Kleffner discusses the model cities projects locations around the city, including the government funded projects. Discusses the controversy of the expansion of I-84 to made the downtown area more accessible; eventually the mall is taken out of downtown and placed outside city limits taking away much of downtown Boise’s integrity, which he believes it has regained. All discussed is the Eastman building controversy and the rebuilding of downtown.
9:38 Kleffner explains why the charters were repealed in order to expand school districts. Annexation begins to pay property taxes; discusses growth and unification of the city due to multiple institutions of committees and departments, such as ACHD in 1971.
14:20 Kleffner discusses his term on council being the newest member with five (names included) that had been serving and their disappointment with their loss of control of the roads and streets due to these installations.
15:12 Kleffner discusses what being on the city council prepared him for and what made him so interested in government. Briefly discusses prior involvements and who it was that encouraged him into council.
17:15 Kleffner remembers Fred Kopke and his influence on the city, not only because of his development of the city from within, but because of his implementation of the sewer systems and sewage plant. Discusses his personality, dynamism, and their personal relationship.
19:25 Kleffner discusses the implementation of the bench sewer district in the late 60s-early 70s. Speaks of the developers of the district and a brief background of each. Most defining moment for the council, even without voting, due to forming a basis of understanding public input forming new opinions, which compromises the council. Also discusses the balance of conservatives and liberals being very beneficial.
23:04 Kleffner discusses the issues of the Planning and Zoning Commission and their recommendations always bringing up issues; development somewhere will always upset someone. Describes the difficulty of attempting to protect the integrity of a place while allowing for urban development.
24:20 Kleffner reminisces on the things he most fondly remembers. One of these include his desire for a City Fall Celebration Day; he appreciated the idea the all cities had a celebration to enjoy who they were as a city. Eventually the River Festival and River Float Parade came about.
26:38 Kleffner recalls a financial crisis, yet not the details of said crisis. He remembers fondly the late night meetings with Council members Kopke and Eardly at the Big Bun discussing treasury options. Also recalls Kopke’s involvement in assisting the mayor to make the correct financial decisions.
28:32 Kleffner laughingly remembers his Idaho Statesman interview during the candidate interview in the year of his election. He recalls not knowing what they were asking or how to answer them, thinking that City Council could be a fun thing to do. He is not endorsed, yet is the “leading vote getter that election.”
31:39 Kleffner speaks of the Greenbelt and its state while he was in office. It was in its beginning stages when Kleffner was elected, he recalls that being one of the questions he answered correctly in his pre-election interview. Also discussed is the main concern of crime, but that the area was patrolled very nicely. While Kleffner was on Council was when the city purchased the land at Barber Park.
33:42 Kleffner recalls the major issues being solved during his time in office. These include movement of the library to its current location from across the road of Boise High School’s Gymnasium, though it was then called Carnegie Library; the authorization to build a new City Hall, the sewer plant, and new law enforcement facilities for the county.
36:28 Kleffner discusses the development of parks during his time in city hall. Does not recall the Parks Director’s name, yet remembers that he was great. There were no real plans for major parks while in office, Anne Morrison had just been completed. However, due to zoning laws during urban renewal, developers of major land plots were required to leave an open space of their land for a school or park.
37:38 Kleffner discusses Bill Everts, the City Recreation Director, and how influential he was on all the recreational programs in the city. Comments on Everts’ creation of the youth ski program, implementation of the ski lessons and transportation to the mountain all affordable for children; also mentions that he was an example of how a Parks and Rec department should be run.
38:58 Kleffner describes the type of city growth that was occurring during his time in office. He explains that it was both residential and commercial, yet not so much industrial. After the war, both population and business increased; small stores became large, there were no chain stores in the city at this time. Also describes how the city reacted to all the rapid growth, including zoning laws.
43:55 Kleffner discusses the renovation of downtown Boise. Mentions that while most of it was done by the previous council and mayor, there was still some going on while he was in office. Most of the buildings brought down, such as the previously mentioned Eastman building, were impractical to restore. Also mentioned is the idea that it was predetermined; most of the influence came from respected members of the city, not council members, because of their intelligence and influence.
46:10 Kleffner discusses whether or not there was support for urban renewal. Mentions that a few council members were not that supportive, but –especially after the war- the urban growth was necessary due to the constant growth of the city. Also discusses the careful planning and separate teams created to handle both the government and private sector funds to ensure proper spending.
50:04 Kleffner briefly mentions the tearing down of Chinatown in old Boise and the stories of the caves and tunnels. Discusses the amount of uproar in the community, yet informs that all that had to move were compensated for their troubles, most usually more than their property was worth.
51:20 Kleffner discusses both sadness and joy of urban renewal. Old building turning into new things, such as the local C.C. Andersons conversion to Macys, or his old church becoming the employment office. Recalls Joe Albertson’s first store on 16th and State and grocers being upset at his success. Kleffner also mentions how proud he is to come from a place that built itself up to a national level with companies like Simplot, Albertsons, and Morrison Knudsen.
53:05 Kleffner discusses what he feels are the defining moments for the city itself, and reflects fondly on his time on the council.
end of track
Names and Places Index
Source
- Kleffner, Flip (Narrator, Person)
Repository Details
Part of the Collections Repository