Huntsman agreed. "As an elected official, I carry to a certain extent the hopes, dreams and aspirations of the citizens," the governor said. "I then have to turn to community-based representatives to get what I think is sound input on those issues."

Besides, Starks said, the people involved in the process are also members of the public. "Remember that every one of these people are taxpayers," he said. "I think they've been doing this more with their taxpayer hat on than they are representing" the private sector.

Atkinson represents another viewpoint on the partnership board as a community advocate even though she, too, has a background in business. "I think they see me as a balance," she said.

For example, Atkinson said, she was asked to speak about the social responsibility of corporations at the governor's recent economic summit, an event organized with the help of the partnership.

"I bring a slightly different perspective at times. A very practical perspective," she said. "I also bring the humanizing of some of the data. . . . You cannot talk about efficiency without talking about effectiveness."

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