Now, pending approval by the Salt Lake County Council, Cort Ashton is expected to be named its chairman.

The Republican, entering his fourth year in office, will take the slot for the first time. Outgoing chairman Michael Jensen will slide into the No. 2 spot.

"Cort hasn't done it yet," Jensen said Monday. "That really was the biggest factor."

The decision leaves fellow GOP Councilman David Wilde on the outside two months after Wilde lost a lopsided race to Dan Snarr for Murray mayor. Wilde says he did not want to pursue the county post since he has yet to firmly decide if he will run for re-election in November.

"Cort definitely is running," Wilde said. "There was some feeling being chair can assist" his re-election.

Ashton says he is honored to get the nod, noting that after sitting back for several years, he has a better idea how to make the council more effective.

"It was good for the county for us to roll up our sleeves and get into [the budget] deeper," he said. "That is the model I'd like to see throughout the year."

Another idea: Push the council's weekly meetings from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. to accommodate extra public feedback. Ashton hopes to make the move, but acknowledges conflicts for the county clerks.

For his part, Wilde says his too-personal-for-comfort skirmish with Snarr has left him "kind of burned out," but says he loves serving on the council - just not necessarily as chairman.

"When controversies come up," he added, "chair can actually be a liability."

djensen@sltrib.com