Curtis, R-Sandy, says the full-time position is necessary because of a loss of several staffers in the House office and also because the duties of the part-time speaker's job have been eating away at his private law practice.

"I want to be able to maintain a part-time Legislature and I feel this moves in this direction," Curtis said, noting that the chief of staff could sit in for him in meetings, chat with constituents and serve as essentially his eyes and ears.

"I'm not going to abdicate my responsibilities," Curtis added. Instead, "I'm hoping I can use my time more effectively."

Curtis tapped Chris Bleak, a past Utah Republican Party executive director and most recently the campaign manager for former GOP Salt Lake County Mayor Nancy Workman, for the position.

"Ultimately, the speaker realizes a need for a professional political staff to help manage the staff and help better manage his time and the demands of him," said Bleak, 30, who earned a political science degree from the University of Utah and has lobbied on Capitol Hill on behalf of several groups, including Salt Lake City, the Salt Lake Organizing Committee and Qwest Communications.

Senate President John Valentine said he plans no changes to his office, but he understands Curtis' reasoning. After all, Valentine said, the Senate has 29 members, the House has 75.

"The House has the same issues that the Senate has, only multiplied by 2 1/2 times," Valentine said. "Were I to be the Speaker of the House, instead of the Senate president, I might seriously consider a chief of staff."

Bleak (pronounced Blake) will get a salary in the mid-$80,000 a year range, Curtis says. Because of several staff changes in the House office, Curtis can create the chief of staff position without seeking more budget money or another full-time position.

Kat Dayton, who has served as special assistant to the speaker, is resigning her post to work as a campaign fund-raiser, and Holly Parker, the House staff administrator, is retiring from her position this fall. And Linda Johnson, a House receptionists and scheduler, retired from her job last week.

Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr.'s chief of staff, Jason Chaffetz, says it's up to the House how it organizes, but he welcomed Bleak to the new assignment.

"I look forward to working with him," Chaffetz said. "He's a great guy and somebody I've worked with in the past."

House Minority Leader Ralph Becker, D-Salt Lake City, didn't want to comment on the new position until he had talked to Curtis. "This is news to me," Becker said.

tburr@sltrib.com