News publisher, not editor, joins Alliance board

After Shelledy resigned as Tribune editor in early 2003, Alliance officials assumed he would resign from the Alliance board as well. But he didn't. In 2004, Alliance board members considered new Tribune Editor Nancy Conway as a board member, the Tribune reported at the time. But she declined to avoid conflicts of interest over reporting on Alliance activities, the Tribune said.

Instead, members asked Singleton, the head of MediaNews — the new owner of the Tribune — to serve, and he agreed. He is still listed as an Alliance board member.

"We think it is more appropriate for the (Morning News and Tribune) publishers to be on the Alliance," said Anderson, who added the group is not meeting as often as when it first started. "We meet quarterly now, not monthly."

The Alliance still has impact and meaning, said Anderson. He believes the group's recent call to keep in-state tuition for children of undocumented workers is helping retain that benefit in Utah law.

Anderson said even though he helped form the Alliance, once he leaves office next January, he, too, will step off the board.

"And the board will decide which local (government) official gets that slot" on the Alliance board, Anderson said.

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E-mail: bbjr@desnews.com