The Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument manager talked to them. He listened to them. He sought harmony. And now he's leaving - after barely a year on the job.

"I've put in my 32 years and want to retire now," Exton said Monday from his office at the monument's headquarters in Kanab.

The Bureau of Land Management, which operates the 1.9 million-acre monument in Kane and Garfield counties, has not named a replacement for when the 56-year-old Exton departs Oct. 31.

Since taking over in September 2006, Exton has worked to dissolve disputes between the monument and Kane and Garfield counties - particularly over livestock grazing and road ownership - by putting collaboration before confrontation.

"We've improved community relationships with both counties," he said. "We'll let the courts decide some issues while we work on other things together like our rangeland health EIS [environmental impact statement] currently under way. We have a lot in common with the counties."

Kane County Commissioner Mark Habbeshaw, a frequent critic of monument management, is sorry to see Exton go.

"We're developing a level of trust with Exton and his assistant managers that we could not have had before with other managers," Habbeshaw said. "When we sit down and talk about things, it's amazing how we can find solutions. I'm concerned about him leaving."

The commissioner pointed to increased cooperation on grazing, reseeding and road upgrades. He also echoed Exton's belief that - while the courts are deciding the major clashes - monument overseers and community representatives can find solutions to other concerns.

"We'll let our lawyers argue for us then build on what the courts decide," Habbeshaw said. "When other issues come up, we'll go out in the field and talk about things to come up with a solution."

Habbeshaw hopes the next manager demonstrates that same cooperative spirit.

"Exton worked with the community," Habbeshaw said. "I hope whoever replaces him brings that same ethic."

Exton - who worked as deputy forest supervisor for the Black Hills National Forest in Custer, S.D., before joining the BLM - is the fourth manager of the BLM's first-ever monument.

He said the monument's next manager must continue to work with southern Utah communities and develop a structure for future science and education projects that mesh with the agency's multiple-use philosophy.

"In the first 10 years of the monument, we have conducted 158 research projects," he said. "With all the research we hope to conduct in the future, we could become a great research library."

Besides headline-grabbing dinosaur discoveries, some of those projects include research in archaeology, anthropology, biology and meteorology.

Exton said it will be crucial to keep monument employees focused on a unified vision.

"We are unique to the BLM and present challenges on how to do things," he said. "Many [workers] bring a personal philosophy to the job in spite of a management plan and have different ideas. That can't be helped, but it's important we all work together."

Exton plans to move back to South Dakota, where he owns five acres, and spend time with his family.

"It has been a good challenge," he said of his monument stay. "It's a once-in-a-lifetime experience to work here."

mhavnes@sltrib.com