Utah has 376 boards or commissions serving various government agencies, compared with 186 in Idaho, 250 in California and 260 in Texas, Huntsman said. About 130 of Utah's boards or commissions do not have members, he said.

The new governor asked Cabinet members - meeting for the first time under the new administration - to flag those that are needed, but also look to cut.

"Now, maybe they all serve a useful purpose; we're looking into that now," he said. But "those that are just sort of there as a result of history and for no real reason based on today's political reality, those we want to take a look at."

The Governor's Office did not provide a list of the state's boards, but many departments have various panels that range from gauging public input to advising on policy matters.

Huntsman also reminded his new Cabinet - which must still be confirmed by the state Senate - that they are "temporary custodians" of their positions and are there to serve the public. He also said he wants to minimize the "political gamesmanship" that sometimes infiltrates government.

The governor also directed all department heads to vet and coordinate their news statements with Huntsman's spokesman Tammy Kikuchi, and to work as a team when pushing or opposing legislation.

"We can all help each other here," he said, noting they should be unified and not scattered.

News reporters were allowed to attend the first few minutes of Huntsman's Cabinet meeting, but were then asked to leave. Huntsman did not address the firings of 32 economic development workers during the open part of the meeting.

tburr@sltrib.com