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SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- Four state ethnic advisory panels say they've been ignored by Gov. Jon Huntsman, despite requests for meetings.
Huntsman has not met with members of the Asian Advisory Council, the Hispanic/Latino Council, the Black Advisory Council and Pacific-Islander Council since taking office 18 months ago.
Asian Advisory Council Chairwoman Mila Baldazo said a request to meet with Huntsman has been on the group's monthly meeting agenda since February. The group asked Edith Mitko, director of the state Office of Asian Affairs, to arrange the meeting.
"We're still waiting for a response," said Baldazo, who has served on the council for about three years. "I really tried to invite him - but maybe he's too busy . . . Maybe one of these days he'll come."
The Hispanic/Latino Council requested a meeting with Huntsman in January but also has no response, Chairman Jesse Soriano said. It's important to "have a direct line" to Huntsman, Soriano said.
Governor's office spokeswoman Lisa Roskelly said Huntsman had not recieved specific requests for meetings with any of the councils. Over the past 18 months, however, the governor has meet with dozens of members of different ethnic groups, she said.
Now that Huntsman is aware of a desire to meet, Huntsman plans to schedule meetings with the councils as soon as possible, Roskelly said.
By executive order, the role of the ethnic councils is to "as needed to inform (the governor) on the needs of their community," Baldazo said.
But council members say they are also growing frustrated with the state Office of Ethnic Affairs. They are unsure about the role the councils play, have no budgets, and have not been asked by the governor's office for advice or input.
In January 2005, Huntsman created the Department of Community and Culture, naming Yvette Diaz its executive director, and charging her with improving relations between state government and ethnic communities.
"There's no doubt that in the last five to 10 years, the ethnic offices have been viewed by the ethnic community and the mainstream community as token offices. Nobody knows what they do, nobody knows what their goals are," Diaz said in March 2005, when announcing the development of a statewide strategic plan. "That's exactly what we want to change."
Diaz resigned abruptly in March 2006 and has been replaced by former Salt Lake City Mayor Palmer DePaulis.
Ron Stallworth resigned as the black council chairman last week. He said the strategic plan was thrust upon the councils in summer 2005, but they never approved it, although they were told it was what the governor wanted.
"I'm appointed to be a representative for my community," Stallworth said. "I'm not appointed to rubber stamp what the governor does."
Stallworth, who has served on the council since 2001, said he had hoped Huntsman would take time to talk to council members about his vision for the ethic affairs office.
Tevaseu Selena Hunt, a Pacific-Islander council member, also said that after five years on her council, she plans to resign because she wants to be able to initiate change.
"I don't think I'm doing anything for my community," Hunt said of serving on the council. "There isn't anything we're doing that affects our community."
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Information from: The Salt Lake Tribune, http://www.sltrib.com
(Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
