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SALT LAKE CITY — Forrest Cuch has been fired as director of the state Division of Indian Affairs.
Gov. Gary Herbert dismissed him Thursday, according to Herbert's spokeswoman, Ally Isom.
She declined to say why Cuch was let go, saying it was a personnel matter.
"The governor has decided to take the Division of Indian Affairs in a different direction," Isom said.
Cuch had held the position since 1997.
In an e-mail to friends Friday morning, Cuch said no reason was given when he was dismissed. He mentioned the ongoing controversy over a proposed Utah Transit Authority FrontRunner stop near a 3,000-year-old Indian archeological site in Draper, as well as water rights disputes involving the Goshutes and Utes and questions about law enforcement jurisdiction in the Uintah Basin.
Cuch wrote he thought he handled those issues "properly and professionally but apparently not to the liking of the governor."
Isom said the UTA dispute "had absolutely nothing to do with" Cuch's dismissal.
Lt. Gov. Greg Bell has taken over Cuch's responsibilities temporarily while Herbert works with Utah's Indian tribes to find a replacement, Isom said.
"This is an important role to the governor," she said. "Relationships with the tribes are extremely important to him."
Ed Naranjo, administrator of the Ibapah band of the Goshutes in western Utah, said Cuch had been a strong advocate, including supporting the Goshutes in their dispute with the Southern Nevada Water Authority over water rights in Snake Valley.
"Forrest has been a really great help to all the tribes in Utah," Naranjo said. "He keeps us updated on the issues."
E-mail: pkoepp@desnews.com
