"This (new structure) has more of a potential to be an agent of the executive branch generally, and we said we didn't want to be just a rubber stamp of the executive branch," council member Suzanne Winters said.

Lockhart noted that much of the council's work so far has addressed executive-branch matters.

Thursday's meeting included a few comments about how the council devolved into a situation where basic structural changes are being expected.

"We need to re-evaluate what we are now," Lyon said. "It's not like we've done anything wrong. We've just lost a little steam. . . . The challenge always, I think, for any public group is to maintain leadership and maintain momentum."

Bertoch said one factor has been the strength of the state's high-tech sector the past couple of years. "One of the issues that we have is that when things are good, nobody cares," he said.

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