Transition to governor's oversight is under way

The switch of state economic development and travel development to direct management by the governor's office takes place July 1, but the transition is well under way.

Chris Roybal, senior economic adviser to Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr., told the Legislature's Workforce Services and Community and Economic Development Interim Committee on Wednesday that five programs will be the focus of the Governor's Office of Economic Development and that personnel are being put in place to get them rolling.

"So we've got people in place," Roybal said. "We're still in the midst of hiring some of our staff members. We have some managers operating within those functional areas, and we plan to give you more reports as we put more meat to the bone there and kick off the programs."

HB318, passed during the most recent general session, moved divisions dealing with economic development and travel and tourism development into the governor's office from the Department of Community and Economic Development. The remaining five divisions will become the Department of Community and Culture.

The emphasized programs involve assisting existing businesses with expansions or retaining those businesses; helping entrepreneurial start-ups; recruiting companies to bring to Utah their headquarters or place regional headquarters or manufacturing operations in the state; dealing with energy issues related to economic development; and developing travel and tourism.

Roybal and others are working to figure out which staffers and administrators will be moved as part of the reorganization. However, none are expected to move from current DBED offices at 324 S. State.

Rep. Peggy Wallace, R-West Jordan, said she wants to get both plans and progress reports about the office's activities.

"The thing I'm a little bit concerned about is that we've had such

dramatic change and such a sweeping, broad change in personnel in that agency, that there are things that can drop through the cracks," she said. "I just want to know what was in progress and where is that now, where are we going forward and who's doing what? . . . Who's the backup, and is there enough backup? . . . We want to know and see the picture."

Roybal said he would provide a list of functional-area leaders and some metrics that will be used to measure the return on the state's investments.

Both Rep. Steve Mascaro, R-West Jordan, and the committee's co-chairman, Sen. Bill Hickman, R-St. George, said they support the changes resulting from the new law.

"We totally agree with the governor's position, that because of its importance to the future of this state he has moved it into much closer control in his office. We totally support that," Hickman said. "We want to give as much opportunity as we can for you to be successful and for the governor to be successful in this effort, because if he is, we're all successful."

Hickman said the committee would assist Roybal in any way possible, but later told him, "Remember what I said: Don't stub your toe, and we'll remain friends forever."

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E-mail: bwallace@desnews.com