Miller said the "unbelievably neat lifestyle here in this area" also can be an attraction for outsiders. "In terms of what this city has to offer, what the community and the state has to offer, I think it's second to none on a year-round basis," Miller said.

Although not on the panel, Gayle McKeachnie, the state's rural affairs coordinator, told the gathering earlier that outsiders moving to rural parts of the state can be troublesome, but residents must learn how to deal with their sometimes-diverse new neighbors.

"This is kind of a heart-wrenching thing to people in rural Utah. It has to do with their culture, their way of life: 'My grandparents lived here. My parents lived here. we've always done things this way, and now these outsiders are here . . . ' " he said.

"So part of economic development in rural Utah has little to do with money availability, technology, the traditional tax structure or regulation. It has to do with the local culture and sociology (which) is a very important part of what we're doing."

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E-mail: bwallace@desnews.com