BOULDER -- Four prominent leaders from Aspen, Colo., Madison, Wis., Portland, Ore. and Sante Fe, N.M. will share their experiences and thoughts in an evening forum, Wednesday, Sept. 23, titled "Separated at Birth: Insights from Kindred Communities."
The free event, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. on the University of Colorado campus in the Wittemyer Courtroom, Wolf Law Building, continues the year-long celebrations of the Boulder Sesquicentennial, its 150th anniversary.
The idea was to bring representatives of cities that share similar values and economic traits to Boulder for a public forum. The room could fill up fast, so I would recommend getting there a little early if you want a good seat. Another Boulder 150 forum in the spring that invited long-time residents of Boulder to reflect on the city was nearly a full house.
The forum is organized by the Boulder Sesquicentennial Celebration, the University of Colorado Center of the American West and the Boulder History Museum.
All four cities share some interesting ties to Boulder, and panel moderator Patty Limerick, chairwoman of the board of the Center of the American West at CU, will be directing questions on several topics, including:
- How a city's image or "narrative" affects growth both positively and negatively.
- How university cities navigate issues of "town and gown."
- How cities work regionally, integrating community issues within larger growth areas.
- How cities develop sustainable "green" policies.
- How a city's success can lead to an increasing lack of economic diversity.
Panelists for the forum are:
Chris Wilson, J.B. Jackson professor of Cultural Landscape Studies at the University of New Mexico and founding director of its Historic Preservation and Regionalism Program. He has written widely on architecture, tourism and the politics of culture in the Southwest.
Phil Keisling, executive vice president of business development for CorSource Technology Group. Prior to joining the company in February 2000, Keisling served 15 years in the public sector and six years as a journalist. His public sector experience includes nine years as Oregon secretary of state (1991-99); one term in the Oregon House of Representatives (1989-91), and as a staff assistant to Oregon House Speaker Vera Katz (1985-88).
Mick Ireland, mayor of Aspen. He practiced law in Aspen for five years before being appointed to serve as a Pitkin County commissioner in 1993. He served three terms as a commissioner and was elected mayor in June 2007. In addition to his two-year term, Mick is an attorney, consultant and substitute teacher in the Aspen School District.
Dave Cieslewicz, mayor of Madison, Wis. Elected mayor in April 2003 and re-elected to a second term in April 2007, Cieslewicz has focused primarily on public safety and provision of quality basic services for Wisconsin's fastest-growing city. He is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin in Madison. Name pronounced (chess LEV ich)
Dr. Patty Limerick, panel moderator. Limerick is faculty director and chairwoman of the board of the Center of the American West at CU, where she is also a history professor and MacArthur Fellow. Limerick has dedicated her career to bridging the gap between academics and the general public and to demonstrating the benefits of applying historical perspective to contemporary dilemmas and conflicts.
For more information, visit the Boulder Sesquicentennial web site at www.boulder150.com.