Huntsman adviser already in hot seat

One of Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr.'s top advisers acknowledged Friday he's in the hot seat for the sweeping changes made to the state's Department of Community and Economic Development.

"I know there's a target on my forehead," Chris Roybal, the governor's senior adviser for economic development, said during the first meeting of Huntsman's newly assembled Cabinet. "As you know, we're restructuring and rebuilding our economic development strategies."

Roybal asked the department heads to share any advice they might have on the transition.

There was no give and take between the department heads during the portion of the meeting open to the media. Huntsman did not address the controversy caused by Thursday's firing of some 32 employees who had been appointed by previous administrations.

But the governor, who took office Monday, did propose a new area of state government where more cuts may be made — its 376 boards and commissions. He asked his Cabinet to decide if those boards and commissions related to their departments are still needed.

Huntsman said other, larger states have fewer such groups. California has 250 boards and commissions, he said, and Texas, 260. The governor said 129 of Utah's boards and commissions currently don't even have members.

For now, though, it's economic development that's getting all the attention. Huntsman made the issue the focus of his campaign and promised he'd change the title on his office door from governor to economic development czar.

To make good on that pledge, the governor announced this week he wants to dismantle the community and economic development department and take over the selling of the state himself, with Roybal's help.

That led to the letting go of more than half of the 56 appointed employees in the department's business and economic development, and tourism divisions, including longtime Utah Travel Council spokesman Spence Kinard.

The community portion of the department, including minority affairs, would become its own department with an increased emphasis on the arts. Any change to the structure of state government, however, must be approved by the Legislature.

Next week, Roybal said in an interview, the governor will announce that two prominent business leaders will join his office. The pair, whom Roybal declined to identify except to say one is nationally known, will help reshape the state's economic development effort.

Their work will include determining which of the vacant positions should be eliminated.