Confusion arose after the meeting when the board emerged from a closed session, which was called for discussion of appointing an executive director. After the meeting, board members did not answer questions about whether a director had been hired or whether any vote had been taken on the matter.
If a director had been hired in a closed session, it might have been a violation of the state's open meeting laws.
Legislators allocated $65 million for USTAR's operations and approved $110 million in bonds to construct research buildings.
Much of the money will be distributed to the University of Utah and Utah State University to hire research teams with a track record of developing ideas that can be commercialized.
State officials hope the program creates new high-tech businesses to boost the economy. The USTAR board is charged with deciding how to distribute funding from the initiative.
- Greg Lavine
